


I Don't Follow Orders

by IAloneSurvive



Series: I Don't Follow Orders [1]
Category: Is there a fandom called embarressing myself?, Naruto
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-09
Updated: 2015-08-09
Packaged: 2018-04-13 19:43:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 28
Words: 36,452
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4534923
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IAloneSurvive/pseuds/IAloneSurvive
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Akahana, the red flower as her name means. She's not exactly quiet but she's not as loud as Naruto either. She's not exactly stupid but she's not quite as clever as Sakura really is. She's almost as good as Sasuke as well but...not quite there. She also hates him by the way. All because she remembers exactly what happened to her clan and why she's the only one left. Itachi. However when a one time only exception is made it looks like she's stuck with all three of them. Oh joy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Damn It Naruto!

Naruto Uzumaki. He's not in class how strange. Well...not really, it's actually pretty normal. I'm Akahana Hatake by the way. No, I'm not Kakashi Hatake's daughter, a lot of people think that but I'm not. He's just my guardian, he took me in after he found me after my clan was destroyed. My old surname was Akiyama. We have a trait exclusive to us just as the Uchiha and Aburame clans do. We can control leaves, it sounds pathetic I know but if used properly it can be pretty lethal. The reason I took Kakashi's name was because I did not want to remember ever being Akahana Akiyama. I was found amongst the rubble and ruin of where I had lived. Everyone had been killed. Except me. It's one of those things that keeps you up late at night, just asking yourself, why? Now you're probably going to think I get on with Sasuke Uchiha perfectly well. You could not be more wrong. I cannot bare to even look at him sometimes. It's the resemblance. Itachi Uchiha destroyed my clan as well as his own, how can I be sure Sasuke isn't just like him?

Anyway, it didn't take long for Iruka-Sensei to notice Naruto was gone. He disappeared immediately to go and try to find him. Of course like any normal class while we waited we talked.  
"Akahana, where do you think Naruto has gone?" Asked Hinata Hyuuga.  
I shrugged,  
"Probably up to no good in town" I answered. I glanced around the room for no real reason. I saw Sasuke last. He smirked and rolled his eyes. All the girls are after him and he knows it. So he automatically thinks that I'm after him to. No way on earth, in fact it seems me and Hinata, and even she likes him a little, are the only girls who don't like him.  
"You're staring" Shino Aburame hissed at me. I snapped back into reality and glanced at Hinata and Shino. I guess you could say these two are my best friends.

I met Shino not long after Kakashi brought me back from the mess of where I had once lived. He'd given it time before getting me back into the school system, he knew I was still recovering. I had been sat on a wall, alone as Kakashi had to go and see the Hokage. He didn't like leaving me alone at the time. A line of bugs had been walking along the wall and I had nearly squashed one.  
"No! Move your hand" a boy my age, at the time I was 7, had yelled at me. I had snatched both of them away, putting them on my lap nervously. The boy came up, checking the line of bugs. He had a very large trench-coat kind of coat that covered half his face and glasses that just covered his eyes. "You didn't squash any, thank you" he smiled, I could tell he was smiling by the fact I could see just the corners of his mouth. Some how we ended up...just talking, for no reason, until Kakashi came back and shooed him away. When I finally got put into the regular school system I noticed how everyone else regarded Shino as too creepy to be around. So from then on I was the one who stuck around. Meeting Hinata wasn't particularly interesting as it was through school.

We paid for Naruto's idiocy, of course we did didn't we. We had to repeat the transformation test. All of us had passed first time and this was the last one. Damn it Naruto!  
"Akahana Hatake!" Called the examiner. I felt myself shake a little, nerves wrecking at my brain. Okay, here goes. I go into the room, trying to act like Kakashi, he wouldn't be nervous even if he was taking the test for the first time so I'm not going to be either. Something clever but simple, that's what I've always been taught is best. Simple...simple...simple.  
"Perfect" Iruka-Sensei says once I have very successfully recreated Kakashi, "finally someone who didn't turn into me." Oh thank god.

Then, there were the clone exams. We had to create three perfect clones of ourselves to pass. Everyone passed except one person. Naruto. Though that was to be expected of course.  
"Oh we all passed" Hinata smiled, her quiet voice ever angelic with her light eyes that never seemed to stop shining. I smiled back and looked down at the Hitai-ate in my hand.  
"Are you going to put it on or what?" Shino asked. I laughed a little and put it on so my red fringe still hung over my forehead but the rest of my hair was kept back. I honestly couldn't wait to get home and brag to Kakashi that I was finally a Genin. I'd promised that after adapting to everything I would eventually become a Jonin like him. He'd probably just laugh...but in a nice way that wasn't patronizing, well not too much. We'd all passed. We were all Genin now.

Then I saw Naruto. He was sat alone, well away from everyone else, watching us all celebrate our success. When I met his gaze he looked away, his head dipped in shame. He could hear people talking about him as well, oh poor Naruto.  
"You're staring again Akahana" Shino warned me. I sighed,  
"But look at Naruto, he's all alone."  
"Oh, poor Naruto" Hinata sighed, echoing my precise thoughts. I felt something crawling on the back of my neck and yelled in surprise. Shino laughed and grabbed me, getting the bug to come back. He let me go a minute later, still laughing.  
"What was that for?" I snapped angrily, rubbing my neck to try and get rid of the sensation of it still being there.  
"Well, I had to stop you staring at Naruto, it wouldn't do him any good if you two were just staring at him. Hinata are you listening to a word I'm saying?" Shino explained, also noticing that Hinata had turned back to look at Naruto.  
"What?" She asked nervously, "oh, sorry."  
"You like Naruto don't you" I grinned.  
"No! No, Akahana don't be silly" she protested nervously.  
"Shino go, this is girl talk" I said to him. He grumbled a little before slinking off and leaving us alone.

"Come on Hinata, tell me. Do you like Naruto" I begged her to answer. Her cheeks coloured slightly and she nodded very slowly. I smiled at her and she relaxed,  
"You won't tell anyone will you?" She asked, still nervous however.  
"You have my word, don't worry. My guardian is the Copy Ninja so I'll just copy everyone else. I won't know" I grinned.  
"Akahana do you like Shino?" She asked all of a sudden. The question caught me off guard and I felt my cheeks go red as they always did when anyone asked a question like that. I shook my head,  
"No, I don't think I like anyone at the minute." Now I know this is very much the stereotypical lie when it came to this but I was telling the truth. I really just didn't like anyone. I mean as friends yes but nothing else. That kind of world was a little alien to me, the only exposure I've had to it is from school and from when I stole one of Kakashi's books. Safe to say I won't be doing that again.

I crept off as soon as Shino reappeared.  
"Hey Naruto, I'm sorry you didn't pass" I sighed, I meant it too.  
"Oh, come to rub it in have you?" He snapped, glaring at me.  
"Well, I was only trying to be nice but if you're going to be so ungrateful" I glared back and walked off.  
"I hate to say it but, I told you so" Shino pointed out. I glared at him as well and he took a step back as a joke.  
"I was only trying to be nice and he started snapping at me" I replied, rolling my eyes.  
"Maybe he'll get another try?" Hinata pointed out. I shrugged,  
"Maybe."  
"Oh don't be like that just because someone snapped at you" Shino muttered.  
"I'm not being "like that" thank you" I replied back.  
"Well stop with the damn snapping then" he hissed. I sighed and decided to keep my mouth shut.

"Akahana!" Called a voice. Kakashi!  
"Kakashi" I laughed, turning around and being immediately squashed into a hug.  
"So, you're a Genin now?" He smiled. I loved how when he smiled he scrunched up his eye so you could tell. That habit had started when I was very young and got quite scared sometimes because I couldn't always make out his lips from under the mask. So to stop that he used to squeeze his eye shut and smile as broadly as he could so I could see. Since then I've learnt but he still does it, it's a nice part of my childhood I have no need to let go of. "How about we go home now and something we don't have very often?" He suggested. I nodded, grinning and he laughed, "I'm proud of you, you know that don't you?" I practically jumped on him for a second hug.

Walking back we run into Gai-Sensei's team. Rock Lee. Ten Ten. Neji Hyuuga.  
"Ah, I see Akahana is a Genin" Lee laughed. I couldn't stand his laugh but I over looked it and smiled at him.  
"Well done Hanna" Ten Ten smiled sweetly. I smiled back.  
"Finally" Neji said, a soft smile on his face. My eyes thinned slightly but a smile soon worked it's way onto my face.  
"Hey!" I yelped when he ruffled my hair as gently as he could, a grinning spilling out onto his face.  
"Well it took you a while, didn't it? I've been a Genin for nearly a year now you should have caught up little rose" He pointed out.  
"But you're all older than me! I only just turned twelve" I protest.  
"Alright, alright" Kakashi chuckled, his hand on my shoulder, "we better go, wouldn't want you using your new authority against Neji now would we?" Neji grinned at me a little evilly but I could see playfulness in it. Kakashi added before we went, "oh and Ten Ten, give Gai my regards."

However much later on in the night Gai happened to pay us a visit. There was a hurried knock on our door that Kakashi answered immediately. He was used to a hurried knock being a sign of emergency.  
"Gai?" He asked in alarm, indeed Gai was stood in our door way, slightly bent with his hands on his thighs, gulping in air like he'd been dead for a year.  
"It's Iruka" Gai started explaining between air gulping, "he and Naruto Uzumaki, a student, they're in trouble!"  
"What? Where? Why?" Kakashi was stumbling over his words, I'm pretty sure he said much more but I couldn't pick it up.  
"They're in the forest, I don't why but I just saw Iruka running in and then yells of pain" Gai pants.  
"Gai, stay here and make sure Akahana doesn't get herself into trouble. Akahana don't get into trouble for me, please stay put for once" Kakashi instructs.

"Well you heard your father, no getting into trouble" Gai says. Oh god, here we go again.  
"Gai-Sensei for the last time Kakashi is not my father, just my guardian. I belong to the Akiyama Clan" I sigh.  
"Then why do you have his name?" Gai asks. I'm pretty sure both me and Kakashi have answered this a million times just this year.  
"It's because" I sigh, a little venom in my voice, "I don't ever want to be reminded more than I am that I was in that clan. You should know it was destroyed, I'm the only survivor" I explained.  
"Oh, so you're like the Uchiha kid then" Gai replies. I sigh again, turning to glare at him,  
"Don't ever, ever compare me to Sasuke Uchiha." I go upstairs and stay there.

Well I say stay there, of course I don't. I saw that vague smirk through Kakashi's mask. I saw it alright. He wants me to come and find him. I hope Gai doesn't tamper with any of Kakashi's things, I'd be the dead meat then if he did, not Gai. I clambered out of my window as quietly as I could. Of course my clumsy side decided to make a much welcomed appearance, I managed to knock an extremely lose tile off. It sped down and smashed on the street below. I waited, one leg on the roof and the other still in my room. I waited another few minutes for Gai to come upstairs and catch me before pulling myself out onto the roof and very slowly shutting the window. It was all forward from there, roof to roof towards the forest. Then somebody joined me.  
"Akahana where are you going?" They asked.  
"To find Kakashi" I answered.  
"Why?" They replied.  
"He wants me to, he's in the forest" I explain. We carry on in silence until we land on the ground by the entrance to the forest.  
"Do you want me to see where he is?" They suggested.  
"Yes please, Neji" I smile in agreement.

"Found him" Neji says after a little, "Follow me little Rose, maybe you can keep up this time."  
"Challenge accepted" I laugh and he sets off. I follow immediately, going from tree branch to tree branch, getting higher and higher as we go.  
"Come on slow poke! I'm losing you" Neji yells over his shoulder as he goes even higher. Both of us have completely forgotten finding Kakashi now.  
"I'm not that far behind" I shout back as I go to follow but the gap is too big and I find myself tumbling towards the ground.  
"Akahana!" Neji yells in terror as he tries to go down faster than I am. Around 5 meters from where I would hit the ground he catches me and wraps himself around me tightly. We hit the hard ground with a loud Thump!

"Neji are you okay?" I ask.  
"I'm fine Akahana don't wo- your eyes are really nice in this light" he starts before all of a sudden changing the subject.  
"I thought I'd find you here" says a voice. Oh. It's Kakashi. I'm straight in my feet of course, helping Neji up as well.  
"Neji go home, you know your way" Kakashi barks and once Neji is gone he adds in a softer but firmer voice, "I'm disappointed in you Akahana. I'll carry you home." Kakashi crouches down and I climb on his back, clinging to him in fear of falling.  
"Why did you go when I specifically told you to stay put?" He asked, keeping up the disappointed tone.  
"I don't know" I answer.  
"Don't lie" he snaps, "I may not be your father but you're in my care, don't lie to me."  
"I thought I saw you smirk under the mask and you always do that when you want me to break rules" I mumble, resting my head against his shoulder. He's nice and warm so even though I am getting a telling off I can still find some comfort. Kakashi doesn't say anything.

"Gai get out of my house" he sighs sadly when we get back. He doesn't put me down or let me go so I stay put for once. Gai leaves, glaring at Kakashi for some reason unknown. Once he's locked all the doors Kakashi carries me upstairs.  
"Listen to me" he sighs after he's sat me down on my bed, "you cannot carry on doing this."  
"Doing what?" I ask innocently.  
"Disobeying orders, going round getting yourself into trouble. If you carry on like that when you're on missions when you eventually get there you could get yourself killed" Kakashi answers. I sigh and look away, ashamed. Just before he goes out Kakashi adds, "Try get some sleep, you'll be put into your teams tomorrow. You never know I might just be your Sensei."


	2. Poor Sakura

Seating arrangements had never been something I fussed about. We'd all passed, even Naruto but understandably not first time like the rest of us so now it was time for the groups we were going to be put in. Anyway back to seating, like I said, I've never cared about it. In class you'd find me somewhere near Shino and Hinata, or at least one of them. More often Shino. I feel sorry for him as even Hinata who's probably the kindest person I've ever met finds him creepy. I'm not one of those who sits near someone out of pity though, I actually know him. I have for a while too, before all the ninja training started and we were just kids. Heck, I feel so old at 12 but it's not really is it? I really need to stop going off topic. Now I'm not fussed about where I sit, so long as I'm near someone I know for security but some girls are. Take this morning for example. Ino and Sakura. It seems every single girl I know has a fancy for Sasuke Uchiha. It's also common knowledge I hate him. He just doesn't take any notice, I've been told enough times that it's a good thing. That's the annoying thing about Sasuke, he's good looking but not stupid and he is very skilled. He's a pain.

Anyway, Ino and Sakura, like most of the girls, are just that little bit obsessed with Sasuke. They were fighting for a place next to him, as usual he was just looking bored. Well Naruto...he got involved. It didn't end well.  
"What?! Sasuke's first kiss was supposed to be me!" Sakura yelled. I think you can guess what happened. Naruto and Sasuke were slapping their tongues with there hands in disgust. Shikamaru sighed, head in hands, already completely done with the day and it's still morning.  
"Now I understand why I'm friends with you, you're not like other girls" Shino sighed before practically face planting the desk, only being supported by his arms, in dispair.  
"Alright! Alright calm down" Iruka-Sensei yelled when he came in. He wasn't impressed either.

"Now, to asign you to your teams" He added. We all sat and waited patiently."Team 7: Naruto Uzumaki, Sakura Honaro, Sasuke Uchiha and Akahana Hatake" Iruka-Sensei reads out.  
"What?!" I ask in irritation and confusion. Naruto AND Sasuke on the same team, which should be a team of three anyway.  
"You heard me Akahana" Iruka replies.  
"But Iruka-Sensei, aren't we supposed to be in teams of three, not four" I continue.  
"There's been an exception made this year and only this year. Usually if there is a number that cannot be divided by 3 in the class we push down the ninja who are failing the most until there are the right amount. However, an exception, as I said, was made this year and anyway...the Jonin who's going to be training you requested he train you as well as his team anyway" Iruka explains, "does that answer your question?" I nod and stay silent.

Who'd request to train me? I don't think it's any of the Jonin I know and it can't be Kakashi, I don't think he'd even be aloud to train me at all. One of the Shinobi rules is to not let your emotions get in the way. Maybe it's because of my surname, perhaps people are dying to train who they think is Kakashi Hatake's daughter. I it never seems to get into anyone's head that I'm not, they see the same surname and think that immediately I'm his daughter however many times we both tell them. I suppose it's not normal is it, I was young when I took his name instead of mine. I remember the nights when we both used to wake up after nightmares about our pasts. I used to sleep on the floor next to his bed as it was a rule within my clan that you never slept in someone else's bed and always on the floor. I broke that rule on those nights. I've always been small, even now I'm the smallest and skinniest but I guess being light pays off. Anyway when I was 7 I was tiny so when I broke the rule I would climb into Kakashi's bed and curl up into a ball by his chest, he'd then put his arms around me and hug me until we both fell asleep again. I have a past I don't like to remember, however old I get arms will always be more comforting than words.

"Oh poor, poor Sakura" I sigh sarcastically as I look out the window. I can see her sitting alone outside.  
"You better get used to her" Shino points out, detecting the sarcasm in my voice, "you're stuck with her from now on aren't you." I roll my eyes and turn back to look and him and Hinata,  
"Lucky you two, in a team together and you both get on with Kiba, this isn't fair. Anyway who the hell would want to train me so bad they request it?"  
"Oh...just any Jonin in the village. You know Kakashi Hatake is one the most renowned ninja in the entire country, forget the village. To train his daughter would be an honour to any, they want to prove themselves both to him and Lord Hokage" Shino answers. I sigh,  
"I wish that I didn't have such great expectations put onto me, Kakashi contrary to what people think, has taught me very little. It was mostly the academy and my Mother before...that happened."  
"You'll do great Akahana, I'm sure of it" Hinata smiled, she was always so positive. There was something odd about team 8. There was Shino who hid pretty much every emotion that existed. Kiba who wore it all on his face. Then Hinata, who was ashamed of having most feelings in the first place. I hope who ever their Sensei is can keep them all together, otherwise it might not go so well.  
"Thanks Hinata" I smile gratefully, "I'm gonna go for a walk round, I need to thnk about some things that's all."

As I'm walking about the corridors, thinking about various things that I really wish I wasn't I hear some kind of muffled yell coming from one of the rooms. I frown a little, standing still to listen. It's not loud but I can hear it, it's definitely there. It's coming from the room right next to me. I roll my eyes and open it.  
"Sasuke?!" I say in alarm, he's on the floor all tied up and gagged. I untie him and help him up, "Who did this?" I ask, arms crossed over my chest. Oh, I hate being small sometimes.  
"Naruto, who else?" He answers, as expected looking down at me like he owns everything.  
"Why though?" I reply, opening the door and walking out. Sasuke sighs, rubbing his eyes,  
"Oh come on really Akahana? He wants to make Sakura hate me, I can't stand either of them but they're team mates so I'm not really aloud to complain."  
"I keep forgetting how painfully obvious it is that he likes Sakura" I agree, "he's very odd and stupid, and don't forget loud."  
"Well somehow he still passed and is a Genin and it looks like we're stuck with him" Sasuke agrees.  
"I hope our Sensei's a good one, maybe hammer some discipline into Naurto, might make him more standable" I nod. Sasuke laughed,  
"Good luck with that" and walked off.

Being nosy I decided to follow him, going from building roof to tree as I do. He's going to go past Sakura, is he going to try and undo what Naruto might have done. I settle in a tree above Sakura, making the leaves conceal me but leave me enough space to see. To my surprise he walks right past her. Sakura started mocking Naruto, ending with,  
"He's such a brat, he had no parents to raise him right." I felt myself go tense, I practically had no parents to raise me either, you don't think Kakashi stuck around 24/7 do you and my mother was also a Jonin, they knew each other in fact. Anyway, how can she know, she still has her parents. Sasuke glares at her and says,  
"You know Sakura, you are really annoying, in fact I'd say you're worse than Naruto." I gasp lightly and frown at Sasuke. I know he's not keen on either of them but he has something like a heart and I know we'd both much rather spend a day locked in a room with Sakura than Naruto. I wait until he's gone before dropping down beside Sakura.

"Oh, Akahana, where did you come from?" She asked in surprise when she turned to see what had created the noise.  
"The tree" I answer, nodding to it, "look, Sakura don't listen to Sasuke, he's just being a little...over the top? No, that's not the right word. Oh never mind, he's just trying to annoy you." Sakura sighed sadly,  
"I wish he wasn't so...oh you know." I nodded and patted her arm gently,  
"I better go, I want to say goodbye to Shino and Hinata, I doubt I'll see them much after we met our Sensei. Do you want to come with me, maybe you can say bye to Ino?" Sakura shook her head,  
"I don't really get on with Ino to tell the truth."  
"Suit yourself" I reply before going. Poor Sakura, I don't mean it in a sarcastic way this time.


	3. Sasuke

"Well I guess this is goodbye for a while" I sigh sadly. We have five minutes before we have to meet our new Sensei.  
"What do you mean?" Shino asks, eyebrows raised.  
"Well, I don't think we're going to see each other much any more. No doubt we'll have training thrown at us full blown" I explain.  
"Maybe next time we're all together again we'll be Chunin" Hinata realizes. I sigh and hug her tightly as I see the clock tick to only three minutes. I pull away after a minute. Two minutes to go. I kind of just look at Shino, questioning whether I should even try. I know full well he doesn't like hugs so there's no point chancing it. However I get a nice surprise when he puts a rather awkward arm around my shoulders and squeezes lightly.  
"I guess I'll see you around" he mumbles.  
"See you around" I reply.  
"See you around" Hinata adds. We leave then, Hinata and Shino going outside to where they will meet their Sensei and me to our old classroom, dying to know who would request to train me.

"Where is he" Sakura whines. Sasuke lets out a "humph" of agreement while I sit back, closing my eyes and yawning. I here a thump as Naruto jumps onto the desk Sakura is sat on,  
"Naruto, what are you doing?!" I ask in alarm as he puts a board rubber in the top of the door frame, the door very slightly ajar.  
"Well if he's so late to teach us, maybe it'll teach him something" Naruto answers. I sigh and sit back again, I glance momenterily at Sasuke to see his useual bored expression. All of us glance up as we suddenly hear foot steps outside, I glare at Naruto as the door is opened by a semi gloved hand. The board rubber fell and landed on a mass of silver hair before bouncing off onto the floor with a very soft thump.  
"What?! You?" I ask in alarm, "is that even allowed?"  
"Oh, hello Akahana, I forgot I requested to train you" Kakashi smiled.

"You..know him?" Sasuke asked, raising an eyebrow in suspicion, "is that allowed?" I nod and Kakashi smiles with his eye,  
"Why yes we know each other, I'm her guardian in fact, so far she has my second name." Naruto wasn't listening and only caught the last bit,  
"What so he's your Dad?" I sighed irritably and rubbed my forehead,  
"No, Naruto. You never listen do you? He's just my guardian but has been for so long I have his second name, got it?" Naruto scratched the back of his head awkwardly and nodded.  
"Anyway, lets go shall we?"Kakashi sighs, glancing at Naruto with a very Shikamaru look in his eye.

Once we're outside Kakashi gets us to introduce ourselves.  
"I am Naruto Uzumaki and one day I'm going to be Hokage! Believe it!" That was his kind of catch phrase and it drove us all crazy and I knew by that point Kakashi is completely done already. Sakura just kind of looked at Sasuke in that way and I could see Kakashi chuckling to himself quietly behind his mask.  
"I am Sasuke Uchiha and my goal is to kill a certain man" Sasuke announces.  
"I'm Akahana Hatake and my goal is to find my mother's killer" I say finally. Kakashi raises an eyebrow which means, "I want to talk to you alone soon" before he moves on.  
"So then, what are we doing then? How about a survival test?" A smirk makes an appearance under his mask. He pulls out two bells and proceeds to explain, "Your challenge is to get these bells off me. Simple. If you get them then you become Genin officially."  
"But Sensei, there are only two" Sakura points out, confused.  
"Precisely, two of you will succed while the other two will be sent back to the Academy" Kakashi continues.  
"There's a catch, I know your ways Kakashi" I mutter, he glares at me and I add "Sensei." This is going to take some getting used to.  
"Oh and one final thing, if you don't get the bells by lunch time, well hard luck. I'll sit here eating mine while all of you watch, going hungry" he added, "now, begin."  
"Told you there was a catch" I sigh.

Naruto, being the utter brain box he is, decides to attack Kakashi straight away. He uses his Shadow Clone Jutsu on him, hoping that the stength of several of him will be enough to bring Kakashi down. It works...for about three seconds.  
"You didn't really think you could get me that easy, did you?" Kakashi asked, clearly bored with us. He walked off a little to the side and I saw Naruto's eyes light up. He dropped down from the tree he was in and grabbed something hidden in the grass. Straight back up he went again and Kakashi covered his visable eye in dispair. I almost joined him until I saw what Sasuke was doing. Sasuke threw a Shurikan and two Kunai which hit Kakashi perfectly, blood and all. I stared at Sasuke and then Kakashi and eventually ended up going between the two. Had I just witnessed my gaurdian being killed by a twelve year old? It can't have actually lasted long because within seconds Kakashi turns to a log and I laugh.  
"A subsituation jutsu" I roll my eyes, Sakura raises an eyebrow and Sasuke glares at me.  
"Clever" Kakashi laughs as well, standing on a branch in the tree Naruto is stuck in. Sasuke shoots off all of a sudden, soon followed by Sakura. Why is she so obsessed with him?

"Hey Naruto" I yell up to him, he glares down at me. I smirk and pull a Kunai out, throwing it at the rope Naruto is a little tangled up in. It's deflected by one of Kakashi's own. I glare at him, treding carefully when I retrieve it and one of Sasuke's he stupidly left behind.  
"Why?" I ask, simply, "you want us to fail don't you?"  
"Perhaps. The enemy wouldn't want you to win though, would they. Think of me as the enemy." Kakashi answers.  
"I'd rather not, you are my gaurdian after all" I reply.  
"Ah, yes" Kakashi agrees, "but remember why I am and who is on your team." Of course...it must be worse for Sasuke. Having his own brother turn against and kill his own clan. Why did he spare Sasuke. Pity? Guilt? Love? Maybe all three?

"Hey Akahana are you going to just stand there or you gonna actually get me down from here" Naruto yelled at me. I rolled my eyes, I was tired of him already. I threw Sasuke's Kunai at the rope, I didn't care if that got lost, and as expected Kakashi deflected it. However right after releasing the first I threw a second which cut through the rope immediately.  
"Didn't get me that time" I laugh as Naruto falls.  
"Alright, alright, no need to brag" Kakashi mutters, he holds up the bells and smiles, "now, get these off me."  
"Come on Naruto, we need to find Sasuke and Sakura and we haven't got long. Need to teach them what team work means" I sigh. Once Naruto and I are gone Kakashi mutters,  
"Hmm, seem I did teach her something. At least one of them is passing, I wish it wouldn't make me seem biased."

Put it this way it ended with Naruto tied to a tree stump, me crouched on that tree stump and Sasuke and Sakura either side.  
"My first impression of this group is, well...you're all a bunch of idiots, yes you too Akahana!" Kakashi laughs. I glare at him, not moving.  
"What?!" Sasuke snaps, he's always had a very fiery temper.  
"You cannot work together well, the very basis of a ninja team. Sakura, you went to help Sasuke while you could easily have helped Naruto. Sasuke you thought of only the ways you could get through on your own. Naruto, even though Akahana tried to help you, you also went off alone. Akahana you didn't stop him and try and set his mind straight" Kakashi explains, "now it is lunch, Sasuke, Sakura and Akahana you may eat. I'll give you a second chance once you have...replenished your energy.Oh and be warned if you try to feed Naruto you will be sent back to the academy immediately. One last thing" he threw an apple at me, "Akahana please, try to remember to bring the food I make you, it takes time to make and I'd rather it wasn't wasted."

As we ate the only thing we could hear was Naruto's stomach growling meanly at us. Begging for food.  
"We've got to feed him" Sasuke snapped all of a sudden.  
"We can't, you heard what Kakashi-Sensei said, we'll be sent straight back to the academy" Sakura protests.  
"We have to, don't you get it?" Sasuke hissed, "if we don't then we're going to be a member down, we need Naruto." Sakura raised her eyebrows but a glare from Sasuke made her drop them quickly. I glanced around a bit,  
"No sign of him, be quick" I hiss. Just as Naruto is finishing munching on the bit that Sasuke gave him who should appear but Kakashi.  
"I told you not to feed him!" He yelled in anger. Sasuke sighed and looked at his feet. "You pass" Kakashi added. At the same time all of our heads shot up to face him.  
"W-what?" Sakura asked in confusion.  
"Well you understand you need to take risks and work as a team to complete a task. You pass" Kakashi answers.

Kakashi then takes us to a clearing not too far away. A stone is set in the centre.  
"Shinobi life does not come easy, you must know that" Kakashi sighs, he's staring at the stone sadly. His eyelid dropes a little and he bows his head slightly. "Some of the best are on this stone, some of my best friends as well. All KIA."  
"Oh man that sounds cool, I want me name on that stone" Naruto says, loudly. I can't even bare to think what might be going through Kakashi's mind when he hears that.  
"Naruto, they were all KIA, it means killed in action" Sakura mumbles. She's picked up how downcast Kakashi had suddenly become. Sasuke of course didn't seem to care much but thankfully stayed silent. We all did really after Sakura told Naruto. I couldn't resist going over to the stone and looking at the names. I knew my mother's was on there. I read it and almost broke, it didn't matter I'd never seen the stone before, it didn't matter I knew it was there, I still broke. Kakashi put a gentle hand on my shoulder, I glanced at him and gave him a weak smile which he returned just as so.  
"We should go" Sasuke whispered, pulling Sakura and Naruto with him. He knew what to do when heart was needed, over the last few hours it seemed that Sasuke Uchiha had grown on me a little.  
"I miss her" I said finally, once they had most definitely gone. Kakashi's arm looped gently around my shoulders,  
"I know you do, I do as well." He gently rested the masked part of his face in my hair, eye closed. "I'm glad that I have you to look after" he added softly.  
"I'm glad to have you as my gaurdian." Before anymore could be said Kakashi brought back the other three.

"What I wanted to tell you most was: In the Shinobi world those who break the written and unwritten rules are deemed as trash...that being said...Those who would disregard their comrades so easily are even worse than trash. And those who don't have the decency to respect the memories of their comrades are the worst."  
"But we break rules all the time so we can succeed in missions, don't we? Didn't we just do so?" I point out.  
"I mean the kind of rule breaker who doesn't need to. I'd rather someone broke the rules than let their friends die" Kakashi replied. I nod, understanding what he means. This was going to be interesting needless to say.

"You wanted to say something to me after we introduced ourselves, what was it?" I ask much later on, Kakashi and I are in the comfort of our own home. The fire burning to provide a delicate, friendly warmth.  
"I think you and Sasuke may be out to kill the same person. Remember how alike you really are. You may hate him but you cannot blame his brother's doings on him, he is the only one Itachi didn't kill. Just like you" Kakashi answers.  
"Yes but how do we know he won't be swayed by his brother's way? Isn't there a rumour" I cough lightly when I say rumour, I'm pretty sure it isn't, "that Itachi is still alive."  
"Yes but you have to remember, Itachi spared Sasuke, you weren't killed because me, Kurenai and Asuma saved you, but Sasuke Uchiha was spared. Not out of pity or brotherly love, out of something like hate. You don't know what Itachi said to him the last time he saw him do you?" Kakashi continues.  
"No" I shake my head.  
"He told him that if he was going to become so strong Sasuke should come and kill him on his own. The likelyhood is that Sasuke wants to kill Itachi as much as you do, probably more" Kakashi tells me. I sit in silence for a while, surprised. Sasuke really had grown on me lately, maybe he wouldn't be such a bad team mate after all.Still, I'm sure there's more to Sasuke than anyone really knows.


	4. The Master Bridge Builder

"Wait a minute! Wait a minute! Mizuki is a missing nin and you're only telling me now?" I ask, staring at Kakashi in disbelief. He knew full well out of all the teachers at the Academy I was closest to Mizuki. He sighs,  
"You don't know what he did do you? He tried to kill Iruka and Naruto" Kakashi tells me. I drop the bag in my hand and stare,  
"H-he what? But...but he was such a mister nice guy" I mutter in shock.  
"It's different now isn't it" Kakashi sighs, picking my bag up for me and putting it back in my arms, "when you see a person's other side. We all have one."  
"I wish you hadn't told me now" I mumble, looking down at my feet. Kakashi puts a hand on my head gently,  
"It's probably best you know, he's a missing Nin, you may have to find him one day. You are aware that the Hokage thinks you should join the Anbu Black Ops aren't you, or have I not told you that?"  
"He what?!" I ask in complete surprise, "really?!"  
"Well...with a lot more training, though I'd rather you didn't turn out like Itachi..." Kakashi answers, "being made captain at 13 and then-" I cut him off,  
"Don't compare me to Itachi Uchiha. Ever."

I decided that I should probably go then, I hate awkward situations far too much to even think about staying to be perfectly honest.  
"Alright but be back very soon" Kakashi says when I get to the door, he just knows, "where are you going?"  
"To see Neji..." I answer, swinging back round to face him very slowly.  
"As far as I know Gai's team is on a C ranked mission at the minute, they won't be back for a while."  
"What about Kurenai's?" I ask, hopefully I can grab a minute with Shino and Hinata, I don't often go a week without talking to them at some point.  
"They're still here, probably only doing D-rank missions at the minute" Kakashi answers, "like you and the others."  
"I don't see why we can't do C rank missions" I mutter.  
"What's that?" Kakashi replies, eyebrows raised.  
"Nothing" I answer hastily before shooting out of the door.

"Shino! Hinata!" I shout to get their attention. Hinata turns around, having heard me first,  
"Oh, Akahana!" She shouts back, well sort of, her voice is a little too soft to shout really. As I go up to them, practically running, I see a shape moving towards me. Kiba. Before he can attack I jump up and kick him straight in the jaw. He cries out in pain as he falls to the ground, while I land crouched on the ground, steadying myself with my hands.  
"Nice try" I smirk as he glances up at me from the ground as I stand, looking down on him. I may be small but I am lethal from time to time.  
"I let you beat me" he replies, Kiba's pride was a little too high if you asked me. I chuckled patronizingly,  
"No, you attacked too early" I correct him before carrying on to where Hinata and Shino are stood.  
"I'm surprised you didn't break Kiba's jaw, that was a powerful hit" Shino comments.  
"Thanks...I think...I did kind of kick your team mate" I reply, a little confused. Shino shrugs,  
"He was annoying me anyway."  
"Huh, you too? I've got an annoying one as well, I swear I am tempted to make our team one of three instead of four. He's driving me crazy, that Naruto" I agree, just completely forgetting Hinata is there and not biting my tongue.

"Don't they all annoy you in some way?" Shino asks, eyebrows raised, I can tell he's really trying to stop it sounding like I only find Naruto annoying.  
"That's true" I nod in agreement, "I imagine that they all find me annoying in some way. What's Kurenai like anyway, Kakashi's a nightmare to be perfectly honest."  
"She's really nice and a good leader too" Hinata answers, smiling her sweet little smile.  
"Some how Kiba's even dropped some of the stupid attitude he's got, I swear he's the one who'll be a Genin his whole life, not Shikamaru Nara" Shino added.  
"I can believe that" I sigh, "what missions have you two done then?"  
"All D-rank, pretty boring to be honest, I didn't think Ninja were expected to do those jobs, I though we were higher than that." Shino replies.  
"It's a pain isn't it, the C missions don't even sound that dangerous, and the majority of us are trained for them" I grumble.  
"Well at least we know that we're safe" Hinata points out. I shrug,  
"After surviving how much I have already, I don't think I care any more" I mumble, looking at my feet. That night was terrible.

"I thought I told you not to be so long" snapped a voice behind me. I turned around, wide eyed, to find myself staring right at Kakashi.  
"Erm....er....oops?" I reply, he rolls his eye and gestures for me to follow him. "I'll see you guys around" I say quickly before running to catch up with him, waving to them momentarily.  
"You know, you really shouldn't keep people waiting" he comments, his voice bored as hell as usual.  
"Says you" I reply venomously. He laughs and I glare at him, the venom now in my eyes,  
"Indeed I do say so" he replies, touching on the humour he can get from the situation. See why he drives me crazy sometimes?  
"Anyway, what are we needed for? Please, don't let it be another cat finding/being clawed to death one" I ask.  
"That's not up to me to decide, leave it to the Hokage" Kakashi answers.  
"I don't understand why we can't do C-rank missions" I complain, bringing up my point from before, "we're all well trained enough, it'd just be a case of occasionally defending Naruto and he's not all that stupid."  
"Again, not up for me to decide" Kakashi replies.

"What took you two so long?" Sakura snapped as soon as we appeared. I sigh and glance expectantly at Kakashi as he gives his average lie,  
"Oh, just got lost on the path of life" before becoming serious, "anyway, time for another mission." Naruto looked like he was about to explode but he managed to conceal it and say,  
"I hope it's not another cat catching one," echoing myself from before.  
"The available D-rank Missions are: babysitting the chief counsellor's three year old, helping the chief counsellor's wife shopping, and taking up the potatoes" Lord Hokage informs us. Naruto loses it,  
"They're not even missions! Anyone could do that, we're ninja now why can't you give us a real mission" he complains. If there was a wall nearby judging by the expression on his face Sasuke's head would be connecting with it in complete despair. To my surprise the Hokage smiles,  
"Alright then, we'll give you a low level C-rank mission and see how you do with that. Perhaps you and your team mates might be able to prove themselves more worthy than you make them appear."  
"What will we have to do?" I ask, one eyebrow raised slightly in question.  
"You will be escorting our guest to the Land Of The Waves" Lord Hokage tells us, "send in our guest" he adds to someone else.

The guest we were all expecting was certainly not the guest we got by any means. An old man, there was no other way to put it, came in. He had a thick grey beard and very small spectacles on that he seemed to have to squint through. He has a drink bottle in his hand, now I'm starting to wish we were pulling up potatoes. This guy doesn't look too friendly.  
"A group of kids and some guy with a stupid hair cut, don't make me laugh" the man comments. Before any of us can reply the Hokage continues,  
"This is Tazuna, he's the master bridge builder from the Land of the Waves. It shouldn't take long for you to get there and back, just a simple escort mission." I try not to scoff, I know how badly escort missions can go sometimes but I keep it to myself.  
"Well I suppose we should get going then" Kakashi says, putting on his emotionless voice. I can't tell if this is going to be hell or not.


	5. The Demon Brothers

As soon as we got out of the village Naruto started cheering unexpectedly with one of his random explosions of energy none of us understood how he got.  
"What are you so excited about Naruto" Sakura asked, I could tell she was criticizing him in her mind by her tone.  
"This is the first time I left the village. I'm a traveller now, believe it!" Naruto answered, yelling his stupid catch phrase as usual.  
"You really expect me to trust that brat with my life, he's a joke" Tazuna glares at Kakashi.  
"He's with me and I'm a Jonin so you don't need to worry" Kakashi answers, smiling a little. I started to nod in agreement to Tazuna but Kakashi flicked my ear none too gently.  
"What was that for?!" I snap, glaring at him.  
"I'm going to hear enough about this from Iruka and the other Chunin and Jonin when we get back, I'd rather I didn't also have to explain why you beat Naruto to a pulp" Kakashi replies, shaking his head. True, Naruto would probably try and start on me and he'd come out worse.

"Hey! Never insult a ninja, it's a big mistake!" Naruto yells at Tazuna, making us all turn to face him, "and I'm one of the greatest ninja ever. Some day I'm going to be Hokage! Then when I am everyone will have to look up to me, my name's Naruto Uzumaki, remember it!" Tazuna took a sip from his bottle,  
"Hokage are powerful and wise" he corrects, "you are puny and brainless. When you become Hokage, I'll sprout wings and fly."  
"Argh! Shut up!" Naruto yelled, "I'll do anything to be Hokage and then everyone will have agree I'm the top ninja, including you!" I couldn't really mark him down for that bit, I'm pretty sure it's true.  
"You can become Hokage 10 times over and to me you'll still be nobody, a loser" Tazuna sighs. Naruto yelps and Kakashi quickly grabs the loop of his back pack before he attack Tazuna.  
"I've told you this Naruto, you're supposed to protect him not attack him" Kakashi sighs, putting on his bored voice. This is going to be one hell of a journey.  
While the others start walking I hear something, like a ninja landing in a tree and I can sense the disturbance in the leaves around me. Funny, I can't remember being able to do that...then again I've never really had to.  
"Akahana?" Kakashi asks when he sees I'm still stood like a stone statue. I look over at him and quickly jog to catch up with them, "what's wrong?"  
"I thought I heard something, it was probably just a bird, never mind" I answer, shaking my head. Kakashi makes a "hmm" noise, seeming to take it into account just in case.

"Mr Tazuna? Your country is the land of the waves?" Sakura asks.  
"Yeah, what of it" Tazuna replies, his voice sounds tired and irritable but I'm only paying half of my attention. That leaf disturbance shook me up a little..and I can still feel it there.  
"Kakashi-Sensei, there are ninja in that country too aren't there?" Sakura asks Kakashi. He shakes his head,  
"No, there are no ninja in that country but in others there are hidden villages, with their own customs and cultures where Ninja reside. To the people of the continent the existence of Shinobi villages means strength, military strength."  
"Is that all they use us for?" I ask, looking round, it's still there alright and it's really starting to get on my nerves.  
"Not always, but mostly I suppose that is our purpose. Anyway, in other words it's how they defend themselves and maintain the power with the neighbouring countries. The ninja villages aren't run by any government, they're independent and have equal status. Now a small island like the land of the waves has natural protection from the sea so there's no need for a ninja village. The five ancient lands that possess shinobi villages are the land of Fire, Water, Lightning, Wind and Earth and possess vast territories, together making the five great Shinobi nations. The land of fire has the Village hidden in the Leaves, where we come from, the land of water, the village hidden in the mist, the land of lightning, the village hidden in the clouds, the land of earth, the village hidden amoung the stones and the land of wind, the village hidden in the sand."  
"If the villages are so great but have no government, who makes all the decisions, is it just the Hokage or the Jonin and Chunin as well?" I ask. It's still there.  
"I'm getting to that. Only the most powerful are given the title Kage, which means Shadow. Hokage, Mizukage, Raikage, Kazekage and Tsuchikage. The five shadows that rule over thousands of ninja."

"You all just doubted Lord Hokage didn't you!" Kakashi yelled at us all of a sudden. I'd been thinking how such an old man could be so important and by the looks on Naruto and Sakura's faces they had been too. Kakashi smiled and put a hand on Sakura's head, "well there's no ninja battles on a C-rank mission so you can relax."  
"So that means we won't have to fight any foreign enemy ninja or anything like that" Sakura states, sounding quite glad. I don't blame her. Yet when Sasuke glances back and sees me looking around, I only make eye contact for a second, I know that he's not so sure as well. We can both feel it, an unwanted presence. Enemies. Yet even so we continue to trek, I'm just wondering how long it is before they stop following us and make a long awaited appearance.

Just as we cross a bridge I notice something odd and gently tug on Kakashi's sleeve. I nod to the puddle and his forehead creases but he carries on, I do as well but the presence of that puddle has really unnerved me. A puddle, on a hot day when it hasn't rained in weeks...that doesn't add up very well. All of a sudden there's the sound of a shock of water splashing onto the ground and we all turn around just as two mist ninja appear. They look like brothers and have gauntlets on, all of a sudden spiked chains fly out of the holes in the gauntlets and encase Kakashi. There's some kind of...kind of...explosion? Whatever it is it isn't good, I know that. I react quicker than my mind can keep up with and tare open my bag with my leaves in and pull them into a whirlwind, it's stronger than usual, looks like developing it payed off. Naruto is frozen and the mist ninja are going right after him. Sasuke appears on cue and throws two kunai, trapping both of the chains against a nearby tree. He lands on their arms and pushes until the chains snaps. Hmm. Clever. Instead of going for Naruto again, they go for Sakura and Tazuna. Sakura seems to be panicking but stands her ground by staying in front of Tazuna. I try and catch them with the whirlwind but I miss by a few millimetres and have to let it fall away, my chakra still isn't well controlled enough to keep it going.

Just as Sasuke jumps to Sakura's defence Kakashi appears again. Sneaky as ever, of course. He catches them both in the stomach, winding them. Sakura grins while Sasuke glares, he's clearly thinking about how much of a show off Kakashi is, I have to agree with him on that. Naruto stares, looking completely befuddled.  
"It was a replacement Jutsu" I tell him, he looks surprised least to say.  
"Naruto, I'm sorry I didn't help you right away, I didn't mean for you to get hurt, I just think you'd freeze up like that" he then turns and walks away. He then adds to Sasuke, Sakura and I, "Good job Sasuke, very smooth, you too Sakura. Akahana with a little more work we can get your Kekkei Genkai under your own control, it's impressive how far you've come." Naruto looks astounded and irritated.

"You're not hurt are you" Sasuke asks Naruto, "scardy cat." Naruto glares at him and I turn around,  
"Sasuke, you're not helping" I hiss at him. He rolls his eyes, he may have just saved us all but that does not stop me wanting to beat him to a pulp.  
"Naruto! Don't move!" Kakashi yells at him as Naruto looks like he's about to take a swing at Sasuke, "this ninja have poison in their claws. It's in your blood so don't move around, that only spreads the poison. You need to open the wound. Oh...and Mr Tazuna...we need to talk." This doesn't sound good. While Naruto tries to think of a way to get the poison out of his body Kakashi deals with the two ninja.  
"How did you know about our ambush?" One of them asks.  
"A puddle, on a clear day? When it hasn't rained in weeks. Though of course I have my observant little rose to thank for actually noticing it, perhaps my eyes aren't as sharp as they were" Kakashi answers, smiling at me for a second.  
"Why did you leave it to the Genin" Tazuna snaps, I can tell he's unnerved by what Kakashi said before.  
"I could have taken them out easily, but then I would have learned nothing" Kakashi replies, "I had to know who their target was and who they what after."

"Huh? What are you getting at" Tazuna demands, his eyes thinning a little. He's not told us something, I can tell.  
"I needed to know if they were after us, ninja attacking ninja, or you, the master bridge builder" Kakashi answers, his voice being calm in such a situation is starting to unnerve me as well and I should be used to it.  
"Wait...the Ninja were attacking Tazuna?" I ask, is that what he wasn't telling us. Kakashi nods,  
"When you filled out what kind of protection you needed you said it was the standard from robbers, you didn't say any Ninja were after you. If we'd known this would have been a B-rank mission or higher. Our job was just to protect you on the way and while you finished building your bridge" Kakashi continues to explain. Oh I see, lied to, I wonder if it's to do with money, the fees can be quite high, even for a C-rank mission.  
"We're Genin, we aren't trained to this level and I think we should go back, Naruto's wound will need treating" Sakura agrees.  
"It could become a problem, none of us have any real medical skills" I point out. What to do...what to do...


	6. Playing Hero

Of course Naruto plays the hero, he feels like he has to. I have to give him some credit for all this, he's got a strong mind and a big dream, even if it's highly unlikely he'll ever be Hokage with a lot of work he could go far. Naruto grabs a Kunai and stabs himself in the hand, where the mist ninja's claws got him. Sakura, Sasuke and Tazuna all stare in horror and confusion while Kakashi just looks mildly surprised.  
"Why am I so different?!" Naruto snaps, more to himself than to any of us, "I pushed myself so hard to get here, training alone until it hurt. Anything. Anything to get stronger, to meet my dream. I will never back down again and let someone else rescue me. I will never run away and I will not lose to Sasuke. Upon this wound, I make this pledge. Bridge Builder, I will protect you with this Kunai knife. A real ninja never backs down and neither will I."  
"Erm...Naruto" Kakashi starts, "that was really cool how you took the poison out and all but...if you lose any more blood, you're going to die." ((I must admit that's probably my favourite line in the entire episode))

Naruto starts to panic and runs about, stupid boy...after being so heroic too, whilst freaking out.  
"Show me your hand" Kakashi sighs, having to kneel down so he's short enough to see. Sakura glares at Naruto and snaps,  
"Naruto, you've got a self abusive personality, it's called-"  
"Shut it Sakura!" I yell, "seriously, no one cares. Did you not hear what Kakashi-Sensei said?" She goes quiet and I see Kakashi frowning. He's frowning at Naruto's wounded hand...it takes me a couple of minutes and then I see why, it's already starting to heal. Could this be work of the nine tailed fox's chakra within Naruto.  
"Erm, you have a really serious look on your face, you're scaring me, am I okay?" Naruto asks, still panicking a little. Kakashi quickly wraps up Naruto's hand and says,  
"Yes, you should be fine."  
"That was the nine tailed fox, wasn't it?" I whisper to Kakashi a while later when we're on the move again.  
"I think so, just don't mention that to any of the others, you aren't supposed to know remember" he answers, frowning a little.

About an hour more of travelling and a little persuasion we're on a boat to the Land of Waves. The fog is very thick and chokes us all a little, making us keep our head's bowed to breath properly. Naruto yells about something and the owner snaps at him straight away with good means,  
"Will you be quiet" he hisses, "why do you think we're travelling like this? No engine while moving through the thick fog? It's so they don't see or hear us, noise will only get us found out." Naruto sensibly keeps his hands over his mouth from then on.  
"Mr Tazuna, before we reach the pier, I'd like to know why the men are after you" Kakashi asks, keeping his voice low, "I'm afraid we'll have to end this mission when we drop you ashore." That's not like Kakashi, though he does go a little too strictly by the rules.  
"I suppose, I have no choice but to tell you. The man who wants my life is a very short man who casts a long and deadly shadow" Tazuna starts.  
"A deadly shadow?" I ask, "what do you mean? Who is it?"

"You know him, well your Sensei most likely will, he's one of the wealthiest men in the world" Tazuna continues, "the shipping magnet, Gatō."  
"Gatō?!" Kakashi asks in surprise, he looks a little stunned as well, "Gatō? Of Gatō transport, he's a business leader, everyone knows him."  
"Who?" Naruto asks, looking confused, all four of us do in fact.  
"Gatō is a very famous Tycoon, that's true but underneath it all, he uses the same ruthless techniques to take over companies and nations, he sells drugs as well" Tazuna explains, Kakashi loses his startled look but I can tell he's still surprised, "he uses gangs and Ninja. A year ago Gatō practically took over our entire island, using his enormous wealth to take over our transport. Anyone who stood in his way just...disappeared conveniently. When someone controls an island they control the sea and the finance, the very lives of it's people. The bridge being built will break his control, and I am the bridge builder."

"So that's it, you're building the bridge so you're in this gangsta's way" Sakura confirms.  
"That means the guys we fought in the forest" Sasuke starts.  
"Were working for Gatō" I finish, he nods at me, a some what solemn expression on his face.  
"I still don't understand, why did you hide it from us that Ninja were after you?" Kakashi persists.  
"My nation, is a small, impoverished nation, even the nobles have little money, common people cannot pay for an A or B rank mission, it's far too expensive" Tazuna sighs in answer, "if you leave me at the shore, they'll assassinate me before I reach home and there will be no bridge." I catch myself hoping that Kakashi will have a change of heart, perhaps this will change his mind. Than Tazuna uses the guilt route, "don't feel bad about it though. My little Grandson, he'll be upset of course" he then puts on a voice, "Granddad, I want my Granddad" he then goes back, "and of course my daughter will denounce the entire Hidden Leaf village, blaming you for leaving her father." Yep, he got us alright. Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura and I all look sheepish, all feeling bad about it.  
"I guess we have no choice," Kakashi sighs, "we'll just have to keep on guarding you." Yes! It worked.

After we've got to the shore and have started walking to Tazuna's home I notice that Kakashi looks worried.  
"What's wrong Sensei?" I ask, frowning in confusion at him. Kakashi shakes his head,  
"Nothing, it doesn't matter."  
"You said this could be an A or B rank, if you're worried it can't be good" I point out. He shakes his head,  
"Always asking questions, just like your mother. It's just the next ninja they send will not be Chunin, it'll be Jonin. An elite ninja."  
"That means trouble, doesn't it" I sigh. He nods and ruffles my hair gently,  
"We'll be fine, I'll do some training with you tonight, see if you can get your leaves on target." I smile gratefully, lucky me to have a guardian like Kakashi. Naruto tries to play hero again but ultimately fails, only succeeding in giving us all a light scare.

"Naruto! Look what you did!" Sakura yells at him when she sees the pure white rabbit that Naruto has scared the living daylights out of. The rabbit is so scared that Naruto even squashes it as some sort of comfort to it. I tug on Kakashi's sleeve again to get his attention,  
"I thought rabbits like that weren't native to this area and it's not exactly easy to get to."  
"I know" he answers, "it's a snow rabbit." We stand in the clearing, all seeming to be waiting for Kakashi to say it's safe to move again. He looks...puzzled...and worried. I glance at the others, Sasuke frowns when I look at him, he looks worried as well.  
"Kakashi" I start but he shakes his head and glances over at a tree. Then a feel it, a disturbance in the leaves.

"Look out!" Kakashi yelled all of a sudden while we're stood there, we all do, just in time, before a large sword swings over our heads. Someone goes over our heads as well and lands on the other side. A ninja.  
"Who are you?!" I yell, looking round, ah there are trees surrounding me I should be okay.  
"Stay back" Kakashi hisses, "this is probably the Jonin they've sent after Tazuna." I back off but I hold my expression, hiding how scared I really am.  
"Well, well, Zabuza Momochi" Kakashi continues, looking up at the missing mist ninja. Naruto starts to go for Zabuza but Kakashi stops him, "go back, you're in the way. He's not like the other ninja. If he's our opponent then I'm going to need this." Kakashi pulls up his head band slowly as Zabuza talks,  
"Kakashi of the Sharingan, too bad but you're going to have to hand over the old man." Sasuke is staring at Kakashi in confusion and slight terror. All of us are confused but follow all the orders given to us.

"Sharingan! Sharingan! Everyone keeps saying that, can someone please tell me what that is!" Naruto yells. I would explain as I know but feel I should leave it to Sasuke, after all it's undoubted that he knows more about it than I do.  
"Sharingan is a rare power. It's a form of Dojutsu, as it is within the eyes, that can predict any Genjutsu, Taijutsu or Ninjutsu. There is a lot more to the Sharingan than that, a lot more" he explains.  
"You got it right, but you barely scratched the surface. Those with the Sharingan can copy any move, even down to the smallest detail" Zabuza adds, he then turns to Kakashi, "as assassins of the Hidden Mist, we were told to take you down on sight. You've been in our bingo book for a long time, known as the man who copied a thousand Jutsu, Kakashi, the copy cat ninja." They...they wanted to assassinate Kakashi? Why? While Sakura and Naruto are being baffled by all of this Sasuke looks more confused by the fact Kakashi has the Sharingan. After all it does only occur in the Uchiha clan, and even then only a few select members. Anyway, time to fight.


	7. Zabuza

As soon as Zabuza states that he needs to kill Tazuna; Sakura, Sasuke, Naruto and I jump into a protective formation. The three of them at the front and sides while I stand back to back with Tazuna. I'm not too found of having my back turned to Zabuza, or any enemy in fact but I guess I'm just going to have to hope for the best. Being behind and out of sight gives me an advantage anyway, if I'm out of sight then I can build up my leaf whirlwind to just below my height without being noticed, which is powerful enough to take Kakashi off his feet, even when he's on his guard.  
"He's there! Standing on the water!" Sakura yells, I turn for just a second.  
"On the water, why?" I mutter to myself, beginning to build up my leaves, a swirling mass of green and red. Green as it is spring and Red from Kakashi. Whenever he goes away on a mission he gives me a red leaf and tells me to practice until he gets back and I've kept every single one. As my leaves have the smallest bit of my chakra in them they cannot die. I look again and see a thick swirl of mist swarming around Zabuza.  
"Ninja art: Hidden mist jutsu!" He yells and a thick mist ensnares us all. Leaving us blind with terror.

One of the leaves from around the area falls free of my whirlwind and floats about in the thick air, landing on the water.  
"He disappeared" Naruto mutters, he sounds scared and I don't blame him at all. Kakashi walks forward,  
"Sensei" Sakura starts but Kakashi cuts her off,  
"He'll come after me first" he reassures her, though it's not much of a reassurance to be perfectly honest.  
"Who is he anyway?" Sakura continues, I wonder why she's asking now, surely it would make it perfectly easy for Zabuza to catch Kakashi off guard..then again Kakashi always has his guard on.  
"Zabuza Momochi, ex-leader of the Hidden Mist Assassination Unit, he's a master of the Silent Killing Technique" Kakashi answers.  
"S-S-silent killing?" I stutter. Kakashi may have that eye and his hearing may be good but silent seems like a sure way to kill a man.  
"As the name suggests, it happens within an instant, without any warning" Kakashi adds, "it's so fast you pass from this life without realizing what has happened."  
"Wait...that means Sharingan can't really do much can it?" I ask, I can feel myself trembling, oh come on Akahana, get yourself together!  
"No, it cannot, I mean if we fail we only lose our lives but don't let your guard down. Remember what we're here for" Kakashi answers.  
"How can you sa-" Sakura starts.  
"Again Sakura! Shush" I yell at her, she does.

The mist grew thicker and thicker around us, cold crawling on every part of skin on show.  
"The mist is ever present" Tazuna says. I don't think a mist like this is, I think this is Zabuza's doing and he knows exactly why it's a good idea.  
"7 points" growls a voice from no where, "Spine, Lungs, Liver, Jugular, Main Artery, Kidneys, Heart." KILLING POINTS. THAT'S WHAT HE'S SAYING. "Now which will be my attack point" Zabuza finishes, confirming my suspicions. I can feel myself shaking even more and have to force myself to concentrate on my leaves. A red one flashes past and joins the circle. He knows. Kakashi knows he might die. I can feel tears welling up in my eyes but I squeeze my eyes shut and blink them away. I can't let my emotions get to me, it's a Shinobi rule.

I don't know what Kakashi does but it looks like he uses his Chakra to but some kind of protection around his entire body. I hope it works, I can't have that red leaf being my last. I can hear someone breathing quicker than I am and turn around to look. Sasuke's eyes are wide, he looks terrified. Panic attack. I would calm him down but I can't, he'll just have to sort himself out. Moving at all seems far too dangerous to attempt and however much I want to help him, I know that I'd rather he were scared than dead. I see him lift his Kunai, oh no...he's not going to...no he can't.  
"Sasuke" Kakashi snaps, "calm down. I protect you with my life, all of you. I will not allow my comrades to die, trust me. Akahana help him." I concentrate what I can on my leaves before shuffling over slightly so Sasuke is within ear shot and tell him what to do.  
"I wouldn't be so sure" sounds Zabuza's growl once again, "it's over."

All too quickly Zabuza appears out of no where but Kakashi collides with him, stabbing him in the stomach with a Kunai knife. That's not Zabuza. Blood doesn't bleed like that, it doesn't move that quickly. That's a water clone.  
"Sensei! Behind you" Naruto yells in warning and Kakashi turns around just in time to catch the other, which falls apart immediately upon contact with the Kunai. Yet there's a third and it catches Kakashi off guard, Zabuza's sword slices right through his middle. I expect blood, a lot of blood but instead get water. The Sharingan must have copied the water clone jutsu...next question, where the hell has he gone?

"Don't move a muscle" Kakashi hisses at Zabuza, holding a Kunai to his throat out of no where, "now, it's over." Zabuza starts laughing,  
"Over? I'm sorry to say this but your attack is pathetic and I cannot lose to a copy cat ninja like you." Kakashi's eyes go thin and he seems to growl a little. "Nice little speech though" Zabuza smirks. Kakashi's promise flashes through my mind. I'll live by it I swear.  
Turns out the Zabuza that's been talking is also a clone. It falls about and the real Zabuza appears and kicks Kakashi in the chest, sending him flying.  
"Sasuke get behind Tazuna; Sakura, Naruto look out a bit more" I whisper. Yet before any of us can move a soaked Kakashi appears and Zabuza stands on the water behind him.  
"Fool" he laughs, making hand signs. Oh no. 

With Kakashi stuck in the water prison none of us know what to do. He then turns to us and produces a water clone. I lose my temper stupidly and go for it, whirlwind in full force. Yet being successful is out of the question, the clone picks me up by my neck, laughing. I grab the hands and thrash around, trying to break free. I see Kakashi yell at me but cannot hear him, I give up anyway, the more I move the tighter the grip.  
"You think wearing a little head band makes you a ninja. When you have hovered life between and death, you may call yourself a ninja. When you are in my bingo book, you may call yourself a ninja" Zabuza hisses at the others, his grip tightening anyway. He then throws me a side and disappears once again just as I hit a nearby tree. Next thing I know he appears out of no where, kicking Naruto across the clearing as well, his head band going flying. Zabuza stands on it, twisting his foot and pushing it into the ground, "you're jokes." Even though Kakashi insists that we leave with the Bridge builder we all know that we can't do that. If we go, leaving Kakashi, then Zabuza will hunt us down and kill us. We have no other options. We have to fight alone.

Sasuke goes for him first but Zabuza just knocks him aside, like some kind mouse against a cat. I get myself together and go back to where I was. The discarded leaves live on the floor, I drag them up back into the whirlwind, listening keenly for anything that may be going on. I will not let Zabuza catch me off guard. Naruto looks over at him from the floor, glaring at his foot which is still clamped on his head band. He stands up slowly, his glare making his eyes slits. I can feel the hate and pride inside of him, filling the air around us. He will stand by his oath. He will not lose. He will not run away.


	8. Kakashi of the Sharingan and Zabuza, The Demon of the Hidden Mist

Naruto darts immediately towards Zabuza, I can hear Kakashi trying to yell at him to stop and Sakura echoes his words without haste.  
"Fool" Zabuza hisses again, he sees this as no challenge I suppose. Four Genin against a Jonin, an elite ninja. I bet he thinks we don't stand a chance. Well, maybe he's right but we're getting Kakashi out of that water prison if it's the last damned thing we do.

Though, it doesn't look like we're off to a good start as Naruto is thrown back by Zabuza with ease. He ends up on the floor in front of us. Sakura starts yelling at him for what feels like the hundredth time today,"Naruto what do you think you were doing?! Charging at him like that, even Sasuke couldn't do it. We're only Genin, we cannot defeat a Jonin!" That is true, Sasuke is the strongest out of all four of us, however much I hate to admit it, and yes Jonin are incredibly hard to beat, even for other Jonin. Still, if I can take Kakashi off his feet when I concentrate hard enough then maybe I can do it with this guy too. Naruto stands and I see what he was really after, his head band."Put this in your bingo book" he growls, "the ninja who will become Hokage. His name is Naruto Uzumaki and he never backs down." Wow this kid really has changed, he really isn't the bratty little punk he was.

"Alright Sasuke, you hear me, I've got a plan" Naruto announces.  
"So now you're thinking about team work" Sasuke hisses back, unimpressed.  
"Says you" I mutter to myself, turning around, whirlwind in hand, to face them.  
"Alright, lets bring this guy down" Naruto grins after explaining.  
"Such big words for a small man" Zabuza laughs, "I'll kill you all." Kakashi shouts at us again and this time we hear,  
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! I TOLD YOU TO RUN! THIS FIGHT WAS OVER THE MINUTE I GOT CAUGHT! NOW GO! YOUR MISSION IS NOT TO PROVE HOW BRAVE YOU ARE. IT'S TO PROTECT THE BRIDGE BUILDER. STAY ON MISSION!" (Sorry for the assault of the eyes there)  
"Bridge builder?" Naruto says, turning to look at Tazuna.  
"This is my fault. Do what you have to, go fight to save your Sensei" Tazuna answers. We turn back from the builder to face Kakashi and Zabuza.  
"You hear that" Sasuke snaps.  
"We're not going anywhere without you" I finish his sentence...I've really gotten into that habit recently. Zabuza cackles mercilessly.

"Still playing your game. When I was your age, this hand had already spilt blood" Zabuza smirks. 'So had Kakashi's' I thought, shivering a little.  
"Zabuza, the Demon" Kakashi mutters.  
"Ah, so I was in your book too" Zabuza replies. Kakashi explains, his voice some what projected by the water,  
"Long ago in the Bloody Mist Village, as it is sometimes called, there was one test before a student could become a ninja."  
"What's the big deal, we had tests like that too" Naruto asks, cutting Kakashi off. Zabuza cackles again,  
"Our graduation test was a little...different. Did you have to kill the others to pass? You train together, eat together, you're friends. Then one day you had to fight and could not stop until you destroy your opponent." I shiver, no wonder this guy's scary, if he's a Jonin now (and he looks a lot younger than Kakashi) then he must have been young when he first became a Genin. He must have spilled blood since without haste.  
"10 years ago, they changed that. A young boy, the year before, who was not even a ninja. Approached the school and took down over 100 students."  
"It felt so...so...good!" Zabuza grins manically. So...he's a lunatic and an elite ninja...great, we're screwed.

Sasuke attacks him but Zabuza grabs him and throws him to the floor at his feet, standing on his hip. Slowly applying more pressure. Sasuke continuously cries out in pain as Zabuza moves foot to his stomach and puts pressure on and off repeatedly.  
"Stop right there!" Naruto yells, "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" He multiplies himself over several times, Zabuza seems practically impressed. Sasuke manages to slip from his grip and rolls away, still in a lot of pain. Yet still however many Narutos there are, one Zabuza will beat them all.  
"We can't win" Tazuna yells in despair. Sorry, we? Oh uh uh, no, you.

"Sasuke!" Naruto yells and throws him a Shuriken. Sasuke seems impressed but I'm clueless. Then I see my chance. With Zabuza distracted by the Shuriken then I can sneak up on the clone and destroy it with my whirlwind. Naruto gives me a nod and I start moving. Closer and closer I get.  
"Demon wind Shuriken! Windmill of Shadows!" Sasuke yells. Combine the this and my Kekkei Genkai and we'll get him for sure. I jump in at the last minute before it hits the clone, noticing the change and deflecting the Shuriken to go for the real Zabuza.

However he catches it and yet turns to see a second Shuriken. This is headed straight for him again but I deflect it to make him think it's going for the real him. I then send it back towards him. He dodges it but it flashes in smoke and Naruto appears.  
"Hey!" He yells before launching a Kunai knife at Zabuza. He goes just past him and hits the target perfectly. This frees Kakashi and it looks like we're back on track.  
"I'll destroy you!" Zabuza roars, swinging at Naruto, only to be stopped by Kakashi, though it still sends Naruto flying.  
"That was an excellent plan Naruto, you really have grown" Kakashi smiles, hair glued to his face. Naruto laughs,  
"Well I knew I couldn't beat him with my shadow clones. I used one of the clones to transform into the Shuriken, then Sasuke threw it while Akahana created a diversion by swaying it's direction. My target was the real Zabuza, though I know I can't fight him alone. None of us can put together, which is why we got you out. I didn't know it would mess up his clone too that was a bonus."  
"It was a fluke" Tazuna yells.  
"Quit bragging, you got lucky" Sasuke sighs.  
"Perhaps it was a fluke" I intervene, "but you can't deny, it was flawless."

"I must have got distracted and let go of the water prison" Zabuza replies, hmm prideful for sure, reminds me of a ten times more evil Sasuke.  
"Don't flatter yourself, you were forced to let go" Kakashi challenges. Oh so that's where I get it from. "Your technique worked on me once, but it won't a second time," Kakashi hisses, "so, what's it going to be?" Zabuza grins and then presses on the Shuriken Kakashi blocked before, forcing Kakashi's hand down. He over powers Zabuza however and sends the Shuriken spinning off into the distance. This is going to be interesting.

Zabuza and Kakashi jump away from each other before Zabuza starts making hand signs. I can't keep up but Kakashi's Sharingan eye goes wide and within a mere second he is copying the hand signs and words at the exact same time as Zabuza. It's mesmerising to watch and then silence as they stop talking but carry on with hand signs. Is Zabuza testing Kakashi? Is he testing the Sharingan? They say one last word before echoing each other,  
"Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!" The water behind seems to well up and expand into the air, creating to dragon shapes.  
"Naruto! Get the hell out of the water!" I yell at him but it seems like my words go unheard. No matter, we all get soaked anyway as the two dragons appear to be battling it out. Then they collapse, soaking us again, and reveal Kakashi and Zabuza once again.

Kakashi is trying to push Zabuza's sword away from him, yet it's pressing into his arm. This could end badly, really badly. They break before it can get anyway worse and run in a singular circle, Kakashi mirroring every single move Zabuza makes.  
"How's he doing that" Sakura asks. Zabuza is staring right at Kakashi and when he says,  
"What I'm going to do next." I know for sure that Zabuza is going to at least think Kakashi is reading his mind. I don't know if he can. He copies his words as well, both echoing,  
"You can't beat me with cheap tricks, I'll crush you!" Zabuza starts making hand signs again. He stops however when he sees an apparition of himself. Mistake.

Before Zabuza can react Kakashi's eye goes wide again,  
"Water Style: Water Vortex Jutsu!"  
"What?" Zabuza yells in disbelief as a vortex starts to form in front of Kakashi. "Impossible" he shouts before being sucked in by the mass of water, his body flying round and the water tearing up a tree. The water beats down on us as well,  
"Naruto! Naruto where are you?!" I shout to the open water, hoping he's okay. Thankfully I see him clutching onto a tree and relax a little. The vortex wallows and disappears before several Kunai fly through the air and strike Zabuza.  
"You're finished" Kakashi says.

"How?" Zabuza chokes, "can you see into the future?"  
"Yes" Kakashi answers, "this is your last battle. Ever." He then throws two more Kunai knives at Zabuza but an odd choking noise comes from his mouth before they hit him. He keels over and the two knives bury themselves in the tree.  
"You're right" says a soft, feminine voice, "it was his last battle." We all look up to see someone in blue coloured robes with long black hair and a mask on. It looks like one of the Anbu masks from the village but that is definitely not a Konoha Anbu ninja. Kakashi doesn't seem convinced and goes over, checking Zabuza's pulse.  
"No vital signs" he mutters, he then turns to glare at the ninja, something of a growl coming from the back of his throat. Zabuza was his enemy, and taking away the chance for Kakashi to rid himself of one more enemy is never a good option.  
"Thank you" says the ninja, not all phased by Kakashi's approach, "I've been tracking Zabuza for a long time and have been waiting for this chance to take him down."  
"Judging by your mask, you're a tracker ninja from the Village Hidden in the Mist" Kakashi states, an element of distrust lingering.  
"Impressive, you're well informed" confirms the tracker ninja. Naruto goes defensive but Sakura shoots him down and lectures him on tracker ninjas,  
"When a ninja breaks away" I carry on for her, this is more personal to me, "he takes valuable secrets with him. Tracker-nin hunt them down and eliminate them, so the secrets of their people stay secret."  
"That's correct" says the Tracker, they seem quite surprised, "I am a member of the elite tracking unit for the village hidden in the mist. It was my duty to eliminate Zabuza." Kakashi's distrust still hangs, but the look he's giving me is unnerving as well. Like something I've said isn't quite...right.

"Who do you think you are?!" Naruto shouts at the Tracking ninja.  
"Easy Naruto, they're not our enemy" Kakashi warns, getting up.  
"But didn't you see what he did, just like that? Zabuza was huge and powerful, like a monster. This kid, who's no bigger than me, brought Zabuza in one move" Naruto argues, "what does that make us. We're nothing. How am I supposed to accept that?!"  
"Well Naruto, whether you accept it or not. It still happened" Kakashi answers, ruffling Naruto's hair gently, "in this world there are kids who are younger than you, yet stronger than me." The tracking ninja appears on the ground and says,  
"Your struggle is over for now, I must deal with the remains. There are many secrets in this body, they must not be aloud to get into the wrong hands. Please excuse me, farewell." He then disappears with Zabuza's body.

Naruto runs to where he was stood,  
"He's gone Naruto. Let it go" Kakashi sighs, he looks worn out. No surprises, the Sharingan has always drained him quickly. I go and stand by him and he puts an arm around my shoulders.  
"What are we doing here" Naruto complains, punching the ground, "we're nothing!" Kakashi steps away from me and grabs a hold of one of Naruto's wrists,  
"As Ninja the things we face are never easy, save your anger for the next enemy" he then lets go and addresses the rest of us, "we still haven't completed our mission. The bridge builder still needs to get to his bridge."  
"Sorry I caused all this trouble for you" Tazuna laughs, "you can rest at my place."  
"Alright, lets go" Kakashi says. Yet as soon as he takes one step his uncovered eye goes a little wide in shock and he collapses.


	9. In A Tree

Someone shakes my shoulder gently and I see Tsunami, Tazuna's daughter, smiling at me,  
"Wake up Akahana, I think your Sensei's come round" she smiles. I sit up properly, having been leaning against the wall for a while my back is stiff and I'm pretty sure I hear it click a couple of times, only to have it confirmed by the pain shooting up my spine. I look over at Kakashi, his uncovered eye forcing itself open,  
"It'll be a week before I can" he stops mid-sentence and tries to push himself up, not managing too well, "move properly again."  
"Well, it's better if you don't" Tsunami replies, "so why don't you just lie down and get some rest." Kakashi sighs and lies down, rubbing his eye. The others come in and Sakura immediately says,  
"Kakashi-Sensei, your Sharingan is really cool and powerful and all but if it puts that much strain on you surely maybe it's not worth it."  
"Sorry" Kakashi mutters, his voice hoarse.  
"Well, to be fair he did take down one of the most powerful ninja in the country" Tazuna points out.

"What about the boy with the mask though?" Sakura carries on, looking back at Kakashi.  
"He's an elite tracking ninja from the Mist Village, only the most elite Shinobi wear those masks" Kakashi replies.  
"What exactly do they do?" I ask, I have to act like I don't know much more than I'm supposed to. Kakashi gave up being an ANBU member partly because of me and it's not something I like to dwell on, I feel like I restricted his will a little.  
"The ANBU Black Ops, sometimes known as the Inferno Squad, will destroy every trace of a Rogue Ninja's remains" Kakashi answers, "the ninja will contain many secrets, Jutsus, Chakra, Medicines used on his body, the very secrets of his village. If his enemies find them, his village will be in grave danger. For example, if I were to die at the hands of an enemy then they would try and analyse my Sharingan, in the worse case my entire jutsu could be stolen and used against the Leaf Village. It is the tracking Ninja's Sacred journey to prevent this."

"Zabuza's not dead is he?" I ask, the others have gone.  
"How do you know" Kakashi replied, frowning a little. I sighed a little and began to explain,  
"Tracking Ninja usually destroy the body on the spot, you told me that, but this one took Zabuza away. As well as that he also used Senbon which are more likely just to knock someone out than kill them" I then add with a shiver, "with a few exceptions."  
"That is true" Kakashi agrees, he then puts a hand on mine, "listen, you really need to just ignore your memories of him. I know it's difficult but just try okay?" I look at my knees, as I am kneeling down,  
"It's just it seemed like he cared so much, what made him go bad?"  
"I know, I know, we're all puzzled by it" Kakashi replies, "now, go and get something to eat, I can tell you haven't eaten for a while. Tell the others to come back here as well as soon as they can, all of, including Tazuna. We'll need to tell that Zabuza is still alive."

After having explained everything, I noticed Naruto was try not to laugh. He's glad he's not dead., he wants another shot at him. Can't blame him, I wouldn't mind one myself.  
"What are we going to do though, how can we fight Zabuza if you can barely move?" I ask. Kakashi laughs,  
"I can still train you, can't I?"  
"Wait a minute! A little last minute training isn't going to help us defeat Zabuza Kakashi-Sensei" Sakura protests, she's right as well.  
"Sakura, think about it, why was I able to stop Zabuza? It was because you four all helped me." Kakashi answers, he then smiles with his eye,"Naruto, you've grown the most." Naruto looks very pleased with himself and I can't blame him, to be told that after all you've been called only by negative names must be great.  
"You noticed Kakashi-Sensei!" Naruto grinned, "from now on, things are going to get even better, believe it!"

"I don't! Things won't get better" came a child's voice from the door way. We all turn to see a small child with black hair covered by a white hat.  
"Who are you?" Naruto asks, frowning, he hates it when anyone ruins moments like that.  
"Inari, where have you been" Tazuna grins and the child runs over and hugs him, welcoming him back. This must be the Grandson that Tazuna was talking about.  
"Inari!" Tsunami scolds, "that was very rude. These ninja helped bring your Grandfather back safely."  
"Don't worry about it, we've had much worse, a few words don't matter, he's just a kid" I reassure Tsunami.  
"I'm not just some kid!" Inari yells at me. I laugh,  
"So, you're a feisty one as well. I like you, you've got spirit Inari. Not many people have that." He just glares at me and I smile back.

The next time we saw Kakashi on his feet was when he took us to a near by clump of trees, though I say on his feet, he was also on crutches.  
"So what are we here anyway Sensei?" Naruto asked.  
"Well, you need training remember, I may not be quite myself but I can still demonstrate. You'll be walking up this tree...without hands" Kakashi answers.  
"That's impossible" I protest, glaring at him like he's mad.  
"Oh really" he replies, eyebrow raised. My eyes thin more and he smiles before turning and quite literally walking up the tree and the underside of the branch.  
"How did you?" I stutter, staring with my eyes now wide open.  
"It's simple, you have to concentrate just the right amount of Chakra to the soles of your feet" Kakashi answers.  
"Doesn't sound that simple" I say.

Quite the contrary it's quite easy in reality. Both Sakura and I do it first time, where as Sasuke over does it on the chakra and Naruto flat out fails. There's only be one situation where I have climbed a tree before and it wasn't the happiest hour I spent on that branch. I was five and had just enrolled at the academy the first time, it would be two whole years before Itachi Uchiha would destroy my clan as well as his own.

/Flashback/  
"Bye Sasuke-kun! Bye Itachi-san!" I yelled over my shoulder as I began to run home, having insisted I go alone as it wasn't far away. I had been friends with the Uchiha brothers as there had always been ties between our clans, I was sure we were related some how as well. As I was running down the slowly darkening streets I ran into an ANBU member. Even though I wasn't meant to I knew who this was. He took his mask off and peered at me with his uncovered eye,  
"You're out a little late aren't you Akahana-chan, do you want me to take you home?"  
"No thank you Hatake-Sama" I beamed, "I'm not too far away, thank you though."  
"Alright, be careful" he said before replacing his mask and walking off through the village. I carried on running and eventually got to the door of my home. My mother was the daughter of the head of the Clan. As soon as I opened the door my adopted father yelled,  
"OUT!" At me and I ran for it. I ran to a tree near the hospital and climbed up, hiding amongst the leaves. It was this ability to conceal ourselves that had led to my clan been called the cowards of the Leaf Village, however strong the ninja we produced could be.

"Akahana-Chan!" Called the same voice that told me to get out of my own home. I didn't answer and backed off even more, I saw the leaves move in front of me and knew immediately that I had made a mistake. He moved aside the leaves and crouched on the branch, keeping his distance.  
"What do you want" I asked bitterly. He sighed,  
"Just come home. I didn't mean to shout at you, just come home, your mother is worried sick." I crept forward very slowly and let him take me down to the ground again.  
"I'm sorry" I mumble as he puts me on his back.  
"Don't worry." He answers, "You know your mother is worried right?"  
"Is she?" I ask, a little surprised. I did runaway after all. (Remember I was five at the time)  
"Of course she is, I was as well. When you love someone very much, you want to protect them with your life and if they go out of sight you get worried and that intention to protect is all you have until you find them. There will always be people who feel this way about you and people you feel this way about, even if it feels like there's no one, there's always someone."

/End of Flashback/  
I've lived by that for a long time and it had always been a reassurance. Knowing there were people there who I'd so gladly protect with my life and do the same for me. Trust me, it's even better when you know you can most definitely defend them.


	10. The Once Great Are Now Few

While we're training, I notice that someone is watching us. I headed off to find out who immediately, you could never just leave something to nothing if you had an assassin after you. It turns out be the Bridge Builder's Grandson, Inari.  
"Hey Inari!" I say to catch his attention before jumping to each next tree branch so I'm lower to the ground.  
"What do you want" he asks bitterly. I smile at him kindly,  
"Just try not to sneak up on us, we might think you're a bad guy" I laugh.  
"So? Not like you'd be able to do anything" he spits back. I smile again,  
"I wouldn't be so sure, have you ever seen someone use a Kunai knife or clone of themselves," he shakes his head, suddenly seeming curious, "alright I'll show you." I jump the the ground and stand up straight. I produce five clones with ease and then pull out five kunai. He stands out of the way quickly as the clones stand in a star like shape before I shoot into the air flip and throw the five knives. All of them go through the clones' chest and then delve into the trees behind.

I drop to the floor and grin while Inari stares at me in surprise...maybe slight admiration as well.  
"What's up, cat got your tongue" I laugh, "listen, I get why you don't really like us, even so we will protect your Grandfather until the end. Risking our lives is what we do."  
"Why?" Inari asks.  
"It's hard to explain. For a start it keeps everyone in our village alive as we get paid for it, which I think is reasonable. We also protect people because no one deserves to die an untimely death" I answer.  
"What about you though? What if you die early" Inari replies, confused.  
"You've seen my team back there haven't you. I've known them all since I was five years old and they all mean a lot to me. Someone told me, a long time ago, that when you love someone a lot you want to protect them with your life and that's how the squad all feel about each other. Our Sensei raised me as well" I explain.

"Is he your father then?" Inari asks, I shake my head, "do you not have a Dad?"  
"No, I don't have a mother either, in fact I'm the last person in my clan, my family" I look at my feet, I then pull my top off my shoulder a little to reveal the mark, it's the leaf village sign, "this is my clan's sign, it's on our head bands too. The village is called the Village Hidden in the Leaves because of my clan. There were three clans that founded our village, The Senju clan, The Uchiha Clan and my own, The Akiyama Clan. While Hashima Senju ran our village, Madara Uchiha ran our police force and The Akiyama Clan protected the village by hiding it in the leaves. That is where we get our name."  
"Wait isn't the black haired ninja's name Uchiha?" Inari asks.  
"Yes, it is. There's only one thing about us that are a like, we're the last of the last. Each once great clan has only one member left, The Akiyama clan there is only me, The Uchiha clan has only Sasuke and the Senju clan has only the greatest medical ninja and Kunoichi, Lady Tsunade" I answer.  
"You don't like Sasuke do you?" Inari guesses. I laugh,  
"Clever boy, no I don't but I'll still protect him."  
"Why?"  
"He'd do the same for me." I sighed and looked at my feet, smiling. Yes, Sasuke would do the same for me, I know he would.


	11. You'll Be Great Someday Soon

"Akahana Hatake!" Yells Kakashi voice, oh no...he must think I'm in trouble.  
"You better go home and stay out of trouble, we wouldn't want you getting hurt" I say hurriedly before speeding off back to the clearing.  
"And were have you been" Kakashi snaps when I appear once again.  
"I thought I heard something" I answer.  
"You can't just go like that, you'll have everyone worried. I'm going to assume there was no trouble" he warns me.  
"No trouble, you can't leave anything to chance though can you" I sigh.  
"Just get back to training" Kakashi says coldly and do as I'm told straight away, never cross a cold voiced Kakashi Hatake unless you want trouble, which trust me, I don't.

It's not long before me and Sakura are completely worn out however, though we clearly have more chakra control than the boys so we're doing better.  
"Sakura, go to the Bridge Builder and keep a look out" Kakashi instructs.  
"Here, Sakura" I say, opening my bag and pulling out a handful of leaves, "these have my Chakra inside, if you get in trouble tare one in half, I'll feel it. If we're not getting there quick enough, tare a second." She smiles and puts the leaves in her pocket,  
"Thank you Akahana" she replies.  
"Sasuke, Naruto, carry on, Akahana come here" Kakashi continues once Sakura has disappeared. The boys don't seem to hear Kakashi so we stay where we are.  
"I guess this is about going off isn't it?" I ask, looking at my feet.  
"No, it's something much more important" Kakashi answers, digging something out of one of his small packs, it's a scroll, "this scroll is for the eyes of your clan alone. Lord Hokage retrieved the key for the chest they were in after the Uchiha/Akiyama massacre and only now have they been opened. You are a child prodigy of the clan, the only one in fact, so therefore you are the first to wield the power capable to handle these scrolls since Koto Akiyama."

Holding the scroll is odd, to think that my Great Grandfather held these in his hands. To think no one else has ever been powerful enough to use them.  
"It's a blood seal, only one with Akiyama in their blood can open it" Kakashi adds, "I'll leave you to it, I'm going to go and read." He left and I sat by the tree, giving myself a sharp jab with a kunai, making my thumb bleed a little. I must be sat reading for a long, long time because I suddenly find a curious looking Sasuke stood in front of me.  
"Can you not do that! Jeez, you scared the hell out of me baka" I snap, almost dropping the scroll.  
"What's that?" Sasuke asks, completely ignoring what I said as usual.  
"A scroll" I snap, I'm not going to take too kindly to this as you can probably tell.  
"What kind? Is it some kind of secret jutsu?" He presists.  
"Will you cut it out, you sound like Naruto" I snap, "anyway it's to do with my Kekkei Genkai so it's not like you'll be able to learn any of it anyway."

Come dinner time me and Sasuke are still glaring at each other, there's no way I'm apologizing, he should keep his nose out.  
"Fighting again I see" Kakashi sighs irritably. I shrug,  
"Guess so, he was bugging me about the scrolls" I explain.  
"Did you tell him to keep his nose out?" Kakashi asks.  
"Yep" I answer, a small smile on my face. Kakashi ruffles my hair,  
"Good girl." I laugh, of course Kakashi would do something like that.  
"Inari?" Sakura says before asking, "why do you always look at that picture, who's missing?" There's a silence. Inari glares at her and runs out, tears filling his eyes while Tsunami follows, trying to calm him down.  
"I see that's a sensitive subject. Did Inari lose his father?" I ask, looking quite concerned. I know what it's like to lose someone that close.  
"Inari has never known his father, that is Kaiza, his step-father. He was the hope of the village but Gato had him killed, it destroyed the spirit of the village and stopped Inari believing in any kind of hero" Tazuna explained.  
"Poor little guy, that must have been a hard hit to do that" I mutter.  
"Well, I'm gonna show him that Heroes do still exist!" Naruto insists, this boy has a good heart, I can give him that credit every single time he talks.

"You're up early" Tsunami comments when I come down stairs, "is something wrong?"  
"No, no I'm fine. I'd just like to get out on my own to get some reading done and not have someone poking their nose in every five seconds" I answer with a bit of a laugh.  
"Alright, do you want some breakfast then?" Tsunami smiles in response.  
"No thank you, I'll join you with the others, I won't go too far" I thank her and then go out. The morning air is crisp and slightly cold. I walk out into the forest and decide to try one of the techniques on the scroll. It's not too complicated but it's new, I have to make a solid clone out of the leaves around me, fortifying it with the red leaves in my bag.

"What would someone like you be doing here?" Asks a soft voice from behind me. The leaves fall to the ground from the clone and I turn quickly.  
"Training" I answer. That voice...it seems familiar but I can't place it.  
"Why?" Asks the owner of the voice. I can tell it's a boy but they have a very feminine appearance, I wouldn't be surprised if they were mistaken for a boy a lot.  
"To protect my friends and prove my clan isn't the pathetic excuse people think it is" I answer, "just because we are against killing without reason we are seen as pathetic...well, were."  
"Why is it wrong, in your eyes, to kill without reason? What are reasons?" They continue, kneeling down to pick the herbs on the ground, occasionally handing me rogue leaves.  
"It's wrong because you are killing in cold blood, if someone were to attack you or your friends and family then there is your reason. If you kill without reason then you are Shinobi scum in my eyes" I reply, a little harshly but it's something I don't always try to refrain from doing.  
"I understand, you have a good motive and morals. A lawful good. Well, I hope your training brings you what you need. Farewell" they say, ending the short but sweet conversation.

It turns out that I missed breakfast, as did Naruto, but Tsunami gives me something quick before actually beginning the day.  
"Alright, are you going to show me what you've learnt then?" Kakashi asks, off two crutches and now on one as he heals incredibly fast and a week to him is like two days. I smile and silently build the two leaf clones beside me.  
"Try throw a kunai at them" I smirk, proud of myself. He tries and the leaves making up the clone move aside, letting it fly straight through.  
"Impressive" Kakashi smiles, "you emulate your clan's great reputation well. A true protector of the Leaf Village." I smile gratefully, no one has ever really said anything like that to me. To think, I could protect the Village, Koto Akiyama could do it alone and I'm supposed to be as powerful as him.

Come the afternoon when neither Naruto or Sasuke had returned we decided to go looking for them.  
"Where could Knucklehead and Duck Hair gone?" I sigh, looking round.  
"Duck head?!" Sakura yells, demanding an explanation.  
"Oh come on Sakura, have you seen that guy's hair" I reply, eyebrows raised.  
"Alright, alright you two, calm down" Kakashi sighs, how he can deal with all four of us put together I will never know.  
"Anyway, where are they?" I ask again. A Kunai comes flying at us but lands a couple of feet away out of harms way and we hear a familiar laugh.  
"This high enough for you Kakashi-Sensei?" Naruto beams from a tree branch as high as where Sakura and I got to first time the day before, "it's a long way down." He stands up and then topples,  
"NARUTO!" Sakura yells.  
"Oh dear" Kakashi mutters. While freaking us all out Naruto falls off the branch but then it becomes obvious that his feet are still on the branch and he laughs at us while upside down.

"Why do I think this is going to end badly" Kakashi muttered to himself and on cue Naruto really does fall off.  
"Oh no you don't!" Yells another familiar voice and Sasuke appears, running down the trunk, along a branch and grabbing Naruto's ankle, "you really are a total loser aren't you, Naruto."  
"Sasuke?!" Is all Naruto says in disbelief as he swings in the air. Kakashi smiles but I can tell he's saying to himself that if he's still sane by the time he's done training us it'll be a miracle. He's right too.  
"So are you two going to come back with us and get something to eat?" I ask, a big grin on my face.  
"Nah" Naruto laughs, "we're going to stay here and make it to the top aren't we Sasuke?"  
"Yep" Sasuke grins, pulling Naruto back up, he then looks down at the rest of us and smiles.

That evening just as Tsunami is laying the table Sakura says,  
"They're both late, I wouldn't have expected that from Sasuke." Just as she finishes the sentence the door opens and Sasuke and Naruto walk through the door, supporting each other as best they can.  
"Where have you two been?" I ask, smiling at them both. Naruto grins,  
"We did it, we made it to the top."  
"Good" Kakashi replies, "now we move on. Starting tomorrow you'll both be body guards for Tazuna."  
"Alright!" Naruto laughs before he collapses, also squashing Sasuke who yells,  
"YOU ARE SUCH A LOSER GET OFF ME!" Sending us all, even Kakashi, into hysterics.

After we've eaten, while all half asleep, Tazuna remarks,  
"Only a few days and the bridge will be finished. I must ask however, why did you stay and protect me even after I lied to you?"  
"Those who stray from the path of justice have no courage, but under the wing of a strong leader, Cowardice cannot survive" Kakashi answers, "that was a quote from the first Hokage." Inari looks at us all from under his hat, something of a glare in his eye. Sakura is sat back, eyes closed with fatigue. Sasuke and I have our heads on the table, side by side, between our folded arms and Naruto seems to have collapsed back onto the floor. Inari mutters something,  
"What did you say?" Naruto asks, looking up.  
"All this stupid training is such a waste of time! Gato's got a whole army, they'll beat you down and destroy you" Inari shouts, all of us are looking up now, "these things you say, they don't mean anything! No matter what you do, the strong always win and the weak always lose!"  
"Just speak for yourself, it won't be like that for me" Naruto snaps in response.  
"Why don't you be quiet" Inari snaps back and we all stare at the boy, "you don't know anything about this country! Always laughing and joking around, you don't know what it's like to suffer and be treated like dirt" Man, this kid's got a temper...and saying this after all I told him. Does he think I was lying? That I was making things up so it seemed worse for myself and Sasuke?  
"Listen to yourself! Always whining and complaining like some sorry little victim" Naruto replies, Inari chokes on his tears audibly, "you can whimper all day for all I care. You're nothing but a coward!"  
"Naruto you we-" Sakura starts but I put a hand on her shoulder and shake my head. Naruto leaves, Inari stands, crying.

"Can I talk to you?" Kakashi asks Inari that night, while he's sat staring at the ocean. Inari nods and Kakashi sits beside him, "Naruto can be a little...harsh sometimes, he doesn't hate you" there's a pause. "Your Grandfather told us what happened to your father. You probably don't know this but three out of my squad, Akahana, Sasuke and Naruto, don't have a mother or father. Akahana's father left our village before she was a year old and her mother was killed, along with her entire family, by the same man who killed Sasuke's entire family. Naruto, unlike the other two, never knew either of his parents. Out of all of them, I think Naruto knows what you're going through most."  
"Why?" Inari asks.  
"Well, growing up Sasuke and Akahana had friends where as Naruto, didn't have any friends in the village at all. Yet I've never seen him cry, sulk or give up. He's always eager to jump into things and wants to be respected, that's his dream and he'll do anything to achieve it and will put his life on the line for it in a heart beat. I guess he just got tired of crying and decided to do something about it. Even though all of them are still young and still learning they know what it means to be strong. Each of them have different dreams they want to achieve, even if it means dying but they all come second to their friends and village. Like your father did. As cruel as Naruto sounded before, it's something he's likely to have said to himself many times before." Kakashi then smiles and goes back in.


	12. Number One, Hyperactive, Knucklehead Ninja

We leave Naruto to Tsunami and Inari, I hope that if the two boys talk they won't spend the entire time yelling at each other, I hope what Kakashi said to Inari struck somewhere and made him see light in our ways.  
"I've got a bad feeling about today" I mutter.  
"I think we all have" Kakashi replies out of no where, I didn't think he'd even heard me. As we walk along the bridge a thick mist gathers around us, clouding our vision and choking the air we breath. "Sasuke! Sakura! Akahana! You know exactly what to do now do it" Kakashi snaps in instruction. We jump straight into formation immediately, Sasuke and Sakura at the front and me at the back, two clones by my side.  
"Sorry I kept you waiting Kakashi" Zabuza's rusty voice sounds from somewhere in the mist, "I see you've still got these brats with you." He won't be thinking that when we're done with him, that's for sure. "That one's still trembling, pitiful" he adds, a cruel chortle in his voice. I know he means Sasuke because just after I hear a soft grunt of laughter,  
"I'm trembling with...excitement." I can tell Kakashi's grinning as he says,  
"He's all your's Sasuke." Sasuke breaks out all hell.

He detects Zabuza's water clones immediately...I wonder...is he starting to wake his Sharingan?  
"Oh so you could tell they were Water Clones" Zabuza comments, "brat's getting stronger. Looks like you've got a rival, Haku."  
"Looks like I have" agrees the masked ninja beside him in a soft, feminine voice. That's who it is! The boy I talked to in the forest...he's working for Zabuza.  
"Well, well I had it right then" Kakashi hisses, "it was all just an act to trick us. I bet they've been pulling scams like that for a long, long time."  
"The fact he has the nerve to face us again" Sakura snaps.  
"He's hiding behind a mask as well" Kakashi adds.  
"Pfft, speak for yourself Sensei" I reply.  
"That's it" Sasuke growls, "I'm taking him out, he's hiding behind a mask like some clown."  
"Be careful Sasuke" I warn, he turns back and smirks at me,  
"I'll be fine."

"Use it" is all we here Zabuza hiss before Haku comes flying towards Sasuke in an elaborate and most definitely fast spin that could make anyone dizzy just by looking. He spins one last time, a Senbon in hand which classes in a flashing shriek with one of Sasuke's Kunai. They hold it out for a while, glaring at each other coldly as they try and over power the other.  
"Sakura, protect the bridge builder, this is Sasuke's fight" Kakashi instructs, "Akahana, use that jutsu but only if you really have to."  
"Alright" I mumble, he knows I can't keep it up for long even if I tried, I'm no Koto Akiyama...yet.  
"We want the bridge builder, not you" Haku warns Sasuke, "if you give up I won't have to kill you."  
"Save it" Sasuke grins.  
"You're making a mistake" Haku insists...it seems like he took what I said to heart. Don't kill without reason, "and anyway, I've already go two major advantages. One, you're surrounded by water. Two, I've blocked one of your hands." Haku then starts making hand signs with one hand. This is a genius.

There's an explosion and it sends both Sasuke and Haku flying.  
"Sasuke?!" I yell in confusion and fright, I can't tell if it was him or Haku who did that and I can't see him either, oh no. Haku lands on his feet, sliding along the floor due to the water at his feet. Where is Sasuke? All of a sudden kunai start strategically falling from the sky. He's above us and Haku has to work considerably harder than I expected in order to stay out of harms way.  
"You're not as fast you think you are" Sasuke mocks when he appears behind Haku, "from now on you'll be the one dodging my attacks." Sasuke then goes into some kind of frenzy and Haku can barely dodge him before being kicked hard in the stomach, sending him flying once again only this time to land at Zabuza's feet.  
"You made a mistake by calling these ninja brats. That's easily going to set off Sasuke's attitude and he's the best young fighter in the Leaf Village. Sakura here is our sharpest mind, along with Akahana our short tempered one shot take out. Last but not least, our number one, hyperactive, knucklehead ninja is Naruto Uzumaki." Haku sits up while Zabuza warns him,  
"If we don't get a move on we'll be the victims. Get it over with."  
"Right" Haku hisses.

A chill fills the air and it looks like Chakra is radiating from Haku's skinny frame.  
"I'm sorry it has come to this" he sighs before a thick wall of ice springs up behind Sasuke and encases them both in some kind of arena like structure.  
"SASUKE!" I yell, running up and hitting the ice. It doesn't even crack inside and the cold burns my hand.  
"It's no use" Zabuza says softly, "that ice cannot be broken, even by my sword." I ignore him and pummel at it repeatedly until Kakashi grabs my wrists and pulls me away from the freezing wall. Kakashi then goes for it himself but Zabuza appears in front of him before he can make any contact with the wall of cold,  
"You enter this fight you fight me" he hisses. Kakashi's eye thins but our attention is torn to the ice dome where Sauke is practically being torn to shreds by Haku, "try help him and I'll kill the others in a heart beat."  
"Oh no you won't!" I yell, building up a whirlwind in a matter of seconds and running for him.  
"AKAHANA NO!" Kakashi yells at me and I stop dead, whirlwind still spinning by my side.

Sakura comes running and jumps into the air, pushing herself to go as high as she can, throwing a kunai into the open topped dome.  
"TAKE THIS" she screams but Haku catches it before Sasuke can even move. He then collapses. Haku spins the Kunai in his hand so he has a hold of the handle. He's going to kill Sasuke. He's going to kill Sasuke. He's going to kill Sasuke. Yet, when all hope seems gone someone throws a small shuriken and kunai at Haku, hitting him both times. Haku falls to the floor not far from Sasuke, only just managing to push himself up. There's a flash of smoke and Haku looks up and spits,  
"Number one, Hyperactive, Knucklehead ninja." The smoke clears and there he is, grinning stupidly but never the less proudly,  
"Naruto Uzumaki is here!"


	13. That Is My Dream

"Naruto!" I laugh and I am genuinely glad to see him, Team 7's just never complete if someone's missing. I know he's made mistakes but he can pull it off, I'm sure. Zabuza isn't up for any of it and throws four small shuriken at Naruto who freezes llike he did when the two Chunin ninjas attacked us in the forest.  
"Naruto move!" Kakashi yells but Naruto is glued to the spot, eyes wide with terror.  
"Naruto!" I yell, trying to get his attention but failing miserably. Then...the four shuriken are deflected...by Haku.  
"Naruto you idiot!" Kakashi yells, "A Shinobi's art is to remain unpredictable, the Sharingan wouldn't even have developed if that wasn't a threat. Even when executing a single jutsu you must keep your target distracted. You just turned yourself into a human target." Naruto goes off on a rant about how he was just trying to protect everyone while I'm staring at Haku. Why would he throw the weapons at the same time, that was not an attack, that was defence, no questions asked.  
"Haku, what are you doing" Zabuza demands.  
"Zabuza, this boy, let me fight him my own way" Haku answers, giving no real explanation.  
"Bring. It. On." Naruto grins. Idiot.

"As usual" Zabuza hisses menacingly, "you're too soft."  
"Forgive me" Haku replies, no emotion what so ever in his voice. Sasuke looks up and I study his wounds momentarily from what I can see. It's true, he's torn Sasuke up pretty bad with the Senbon but none of them seem to have gone anywhere near a vital spot.  
"I'm warning you" Naruto yells, pulling my attention back to outside the dome, "if you're not careful I'm going to rip that mask off and take you down myself!" He can't do that. He can't beat Haku, if he's torn Sasuke up god only knows what he'll do to Naruto.  
"Don't even think about it" Zabuza warns, moving back to where he was in front of Kakashi, "you know the deal, you go for Haku, I go for the Bridge Builder."  
"You think you can get away with working for Zabuza!" Naruto demands from Haku.  
"I'm sorry" he replies, earning a soft gasp from both Naruto and I, "but as your Sensei said deceiving your opponent and catching them off guard, that is the way of the Shinobi. Please don't take this personally." Wow...this guy's crazy...then again maybe he has taken on what I said, like I thought before, he doesn't seem to want to kill either of the boys but will if he has to.

While Haku is talking Sasuke attempts to catch him off guard and throws a Kunai at him, yet still Haku is too quick and dodges it with space to spare.  
"You know, some warriors accept their defeat with grace and others...don't know when to give up. So lets finish our battle...to the death!" Haku finalizes, his voice vicious.  
"NO!" I yell but my shout falls on deaf ears.  
"Where are you going" Naruto demands. Haku stops for a second,  
"Don't worry Naruto, we'll have our fight next" he reassures him, before disappearing into the icy dome.

Within seconds Sasuke is being pelted with more and more Senbon, if it carries on like this he'll die that's for sure. Where are the attacks coming from?!  
"Attack from the inside and outside" Kakashi hints. Instead of understanding Naruto sneaks into the dome, if he had stayed outside it would have worked perfectly.  
"NARUTO YOU IDIOT!" I yell at him from outside, how could he be so stupid?! Now...Sasuke and Naruto are yelling at each other great. Maybe now would be a good time to...  
"No" Kakashi answers before I can even think of it, "not now, it won't help." Sasuke comes up with one of his bright ideas and tries to use his clan's jutsu to breath fire but it doesn't work. This is defying the very laws of Nature...what is this...this technique?  
"You'll need much more heat than that to melt this ice" Haku informs them before pulling out more Senbon and getting ready to attack again.  
"Which one is the real one" Naruto asks, a slight hint of desperation in his voice now.  
"Look as hard as you like" Haku replies, "you will never know."

"Shadow clone jutsu!" Naruto yells.  
"NO!" Sasuke yells back. A good few Naruto's appear out of no where and go into the air. Haku destroys every single one, though it looks like he's still in his mirror he moves that quickly. If only there was a way to tell which is the real one. Then the real Naruto falls to the floor, several Senbon embedded in his arms and legs and chest. They've not gone deep though, he should be okay. Haku then gives another, much clearer hint,  
"These mirrors merely reflect me, so therefore I can move at light speed. To me you appear to be moving in slow motion."  
"It's a Kekkei Genkai isn't it" I mutter.  
"Of course!" Kakashi yells in sudden realisation.  
"It's like my leaves" I answer, "it cannot be learnt and has to be passed down in only one clan. Even Kakashi can't learn the jutsu."  
"There's no way of stopping him" Kakashi adds and I know he's right. Haku...he's a genius and he's dangerous. Then Naruto starts yelling about his dream again, I may respect him greatly for it but I've heard it so many times I doubt it has any effect. Yet, it seems to have one on Haku.

"It was not my desire to be a Shinobi" Haku mutters sadly, "I don't wish to kill you. If you advance, I will have no choice. Then I will destroy all the kindness in my heart and fully embrace the Shinobi way. There will be no mercy. There will be no turning back. This bridge will be the battlefield where dreams collide. Now I must fight for my own, as you fight for your's. Please do not blame me, I fight for someone who is precious to me." Those words ring through my head, changing into my step-father's. I can see him, his calm eyes and smiling face framed by an uncommon hair colour,  
"Of course she is, I was as well. When you love someone very much, you want to protect them with your life and if they go out of sight you get worried and that intention to protect is all you have until you find them. There will always be people who feel this way about you and people you feel this way about, even if it feels like there's no one, there's always someone." I shiver as Haku carries on,  
"I live for him and I face death for him so that his dream, may become reality. That is my dream, and for the sake of that dream, if I must, I will act as a Shinobi and take your lives." So...this is the kind of person my step-father meant. I don't know whether to respect Haku...or hate him.


	14. I Wouldn't Say That If I Were You

"Come on Naruto and Sasuke, you can take this guy, come on!" Sakura yells in encouragement.  
"Don't Sakura" Kakashi warns, "even if they got round the Mirror technique they still couldn't beat this ninja."  
"How can you be so sure?!" I demand. Maybe not alone but between them...surely they could. I frown at Kakashi and then turn to Zabuza as he starts cackling.  
"They have the desire to win" Kakashi answers, "but have no desire to kill. People your age live by the Akiyama clan's ways without even knowing, it is only when you must kill that you intend and even then, often you don't want to. That boy is a whole other thing, he lives for pain. He thrives on it." I shiver, though the question on whether to respect Haku or not lingers in my mind.  
"Exactly" Zabuza hisses, "your trainees never learn the most important lesson of all, living by that pathetic clan's way." I build up my whirlwind of leaves and throw it right at Zabuza, knocking him off his feet and sending him flying, clashing with a tree.

He stands up, holding the back of his head and glaring at me.  
"What do you think you're doing, you nasty little brat" he snaps.  
"Defending my clan's name that has been dragged through the dirt enough times without you doing the same!" I yell, glaring at him and holding a new whirlwind in my grip, it's almost as tall as me and I am not going to let him get away with that. He laughs,  
"Oh so there is one left, I thought they were all killed, and what a coincidence it's the Child Prodigy of the clan, so well known" he mocks in an angry hiss, "your clan's name being dragged through the dirt is all it's worth."  
"Leaf Rupture Jutsu!" I yell and smash the ground with the hand that controls my leaves, using the massive amounts of Chakra I've stored up in the red leaves over time and my own to shake the earth. It shakes Zabuza off his feet again and sends him back to the tree. That's not even the beginning of what I have in store for him. Disrespect my clan and I swear I will do damage.

When Zabuza gets up once again, a stream of blood flowing from his head, I go to rupture the earth a second time but Kakashi grabs my wrist.  
"If you do any more you won't be able to use that Jutsu and if we need it and don't have it then we'll die. Leave this fight to me" Kakashi warns. He then goes to pull up his head band,  
"No! You can't!" I protest, I don't want him to use it when he's barely healed at all.  
"I said leave this to me" Kakashi snaps, "protect the Bridge Builder, those are orders and you stick to them." I back off and stand by the Bridge Builder, looking out for any clones that might come our way.  
"You're no fun Kakashi" Zabuza sighs, genuinely sounding bored, "always using the same old trick." He then runs for Kakashi, Kunai in hand. However Kakashi stops him, the Kunai stabbing into his hand,  
"If it's such an old trick" Kakashi hisses in reply, "then why did you stop me?"  
"Show your Jutsu too many times and your opponent will eventually work out a way around it" Zabuza answers with a menacing grin.  
"Well count yourself lucky you're the only man alive that has ever seen my Sharingan twice. There won't be a third time" Kakashi replies.

The words "only man alive who has ever seen my Sharingan twice" hang in my mind. It's so terrifying to think that Kakashi, who has raised me since the age of seven, has killed so many people...on the orders of the Leaf Village as well, on the orders of such a peaceful village.  
"Even if you did defeat me, you'd have no chance against Haku" Zabuza laughs, his ever mocking tone present. My fear of Haku is growing and I dread to think what is happening to Sasuke and Naruto. To think...a child no older than myself could defeat Kakashi. Could kill him. I can take him off his feet with my whirlwind, that's as far as I ever seem to get but he practically lets me do that. Haku is terrifying. Yet Zabuza carries on adding to the story and it only seems to get worse, "when I first found him, he was just a street kid, a rat. Then I started training him in my own way, teaching him the most advanced ninja techniques I knew. He cared nothing for his life or those of others. He became a unique fighting machine. A Shinobi. He could do anything, a darkness and being outnumbered were not a problem." Is this what we, Shinobi, are for? Is that all we are used for. Killing machines? Yet Zabuza still has more to add, "once his power surpassed mine I knew I had created a tool that could do anything for me, eliminate anything that got in my way. Better than the useless brats you take round with you!"

I throw a Kunai and I know instantly that he can't see it ...that or he's not bothering. It embeds itself in his arm and he gives off a disgruntled noise,  
"I see you have a student who doesn't take lightly to insults and it's the one of the pathetic Akiyama Clan. Strange, she reminds me of you Kakashi, no doubt she saw her own mother dead in front of her, much like yourself with-" Zabuza doesn't get to finish. Kakashi pulls his hand from the point of the Kunai and makes sure he does some serious damage to Zabuza's jaw, I swear I hear it crack.  
"I wouldn't say that if I were you" Kakashi says very quietly.


	15. Limits

Naruto attempts yet again to use his Shadow Clones but once again they are destroyed within seconds before Haku tries to shred Sasuke to pieces with the Senbon. I can hear him crying out in pain and have to try and refrain from clamping my hands over my ears. Yet...it seems Sasuke has a plan. Naruto uses the Shadow Clones again but this time Sasuke doesn't protest but kicks up some water when Haku is moving to destroy the clones. I see, he might be trying to hit Haku when he's moving so he can keep track of him. Yet eventually Naruto is reduced to one so Haku concentrates his attack on the two of them before they fall to the floor, both in horrendous amounts of pain.

"Neither of them can beat Haku" Zabuza laughs, "he's the ultimate."  
"Are you finished bragging?" Kakashi replies, genuinely sounding bored, "You're starting to put me off." He finally pulls up his headband, having been waiting until he knew he needed it.  
"A little more bragging, as you put it" Zabuza smiles, "you don't think our last battle was just win or lose did you? That I just took your attacks like a low rank Genin? Haku was there, watching every move you made, studying your Sharingan. Haku can see a Jutsu once and immediately devise a lethal counter attack. I can't wait to see the look on your face when you realise that your Sharingan is worthless." Pfft, face? Half the village isn't even sure if Kakashi has a face. "Ninja art: Hidden Mist Jutsu." All of a sudden the mist becomes so much thicker and I know that this is now a real matter of life or death.  
"Sakura, Akahana stay with Tazuna" Kakashi says from somewhere in the mist, where I'm not exactly sure.

Back in the dome Naruto keeps on producing clones for Haku to destroy while Sasuke tries to follow Haku. Each time Sasuke uses his fireball jutsu Haku barely misses it, up to the point where it does actually catch him. Come on Sasuke and Naruto, you can do this. I know you can.

The mist seems too thick, even for Zabuza, there's no way even he can fight in it. There's a wishing sound and I can hear metal clashing on metal, the sound ringing in my ears. Then comes Zabuza's rough voice,  
"Very skilful, as I'd expect from Kakashi of the Sharingan but the last time you see me will be the last time you see anything." Yet...Zabuza has his own eyes closed, I wonder why, it doesn't make any sense. Surely that'd just make things harder for him. "With you Sharingan, you are nothing. You wanted me to believe that you saw through anything, even time. You're a fraud Kakashi, you cannot read the future and you cannot read me. Your eye is just a trick that makes you seem more powerful than you are." What does he mean, Kakashi's eye does make him powerful. Then Zabuza starts to explain, "I know now that your Sharingan has two parts. The Piercing Eye which can read every detail and then the hypnotic eye, which mesmerises your opponent. Using this you make it seem like you can see into the future. Clever, but not clever enough."

"Now all I have to do is simple. First neutralize your piercing eye with zero visibility mist" and on cue I hear Kakashi yell as he's knocked back a little, "next just to close my eyes and make your hypnotic eye useless."  
"Brilliant" Kakashi replies in the most patronizing tone I have ever heard him use and trust me, he's patronizing at least 80% of the time I'm talking to him, "just one flaw, with your eyes closed you can't see me."  
"You're forgetting something," Zabuza replies, "I'm the Demon Of The Hidden Mist, a master of the Silent Kill. I can find you through sound alone."

"Naruto? Can you do it again?" Sasuke asks, meaning the Shadow Clone Jutsu.  
"Of course I can, nothing will get to me, believe it" Naruto answers but it's clear he's worn out, he just doesn't want to show it.  
"GET OUT OF HERE! GET OUT AND ATTACK FROM THE OUTSIDE!" Sasuke yells at Naruto as soon as Haku begins to attack once again. Naruto starts running but Haku warns,  
"You can't escape! There is no way out!" Naruto is knocked back and ends up on his back by Sasuke's feet. Surely he can't keep this up for long.  
"If you think you can keep me in here forever forget it" Naruto shouts back, Haku goes after him.

Sasuke seizes the moment and uses his Fire jutsu on Haku for the umpteenth time. It seems like it's on target, that Haku can't avoid it. Yet he still does, by only a few inches but still. Sasuke looks aghast as Haku throws a Senbon at him before spinning and kicking Naruto back so he goes flying. Naruto smashes into the floor while the Senbon delves into Sasuke's shoulder, sending white hot pain to his nerves in a matter of seconds.  
"That was good Naruto" Sasuke smiles, some how managing as he tares out the Senbon from his shoulder, "one...more time."  
"No more games" Haku yells, "this ends now, this time you'll stay down." He throws more Senbon, one delving into Sasuke's knee before pelting him with them, all pushing them selves past his clothes and skin on various parts of his body. Before Naruto can move Haku also attacks him, the Senbon this time stabbing into his back.

"The Bridge Builder!" Kakashi yells in realisation, "Akahana I know I told you to save your Chakra but you have to use the other Jutsu."  
"I don't know if I can" I reply in panic.  
"Just do it!" Kakashi yells in irritation and I immediately start making the hand signs,  
"Ninja Art: Hidden Leaves jutsu!" My entire vision changes and instead of the mist everything is clear and instead of seeing people I see outlines. I concentrate on Tazuna first so that my chakra feeds into his outline, then I know he's safe before turning to Sakura. "I can't keep this up for long" I yell once Tazuna, Sakura and I are hidden.  
"Don't talk, he can still hear you remember" Kakashi yells back and we all keep silent. Just as Zabuza appears, having detected us some how, I find I cannot keep up the concealment any more. We appear again in a flash of light and I fight to keep myself on my feet, my body shaking with the strain.  
"To late" Zabuza sneers, sword drawn, before Kakashi appears and Sakura's scream pierces the air.


	16. Don't Let Your Dream Die

Sakura's scream rings in the air, even penetrating the walls of the dome. Sasuke's worry, that was lingering at the back of his mind brings itself forward a little.  
"You've exhausted my patience" Haku growls as Naruto gets a sudden burst of energy out of no where, seeming capable of ignoring all the pain in his back. With the energy he runs by the mirrors so fast that Haku has to force himself to keep up.  
"Naruto! Behind you!" Sasuke yells in warning but it's too late. As soon as Naruto turns around Haku throws an assault of Senbon which delve into Naruto's chest.  
"The chances of escaping my house of mirrors is zero" Haku mocks. Sasuke runs to Naruto,  
"Don't try and use any more Chakra, it's only going to help him."  
"I know Sasuke" Naruto mumbles, trying to push himself up, "I know" he then collapses, crying out in pain.

"Looking for a counter attack?!" Haku yells out of no where, "I'll save you the trouble." Sasuke tares out one of the Senbon from his arm and deflects all that is thrown at him with expert precision.  
"Get up loser, we've got to team up" Sasuke yells, his sympathy disappearing in a split second. Naruto forces himself up,  
"I know what we have to do, Sasuke" he pants, still in pain. Haku sends on another attack of Senbon but Sasuke deflects every single one, he's fighting to protect Naruto. On the next attack one of the needles strikes Sasuke's knee and his eyes go wide as the pain consumes his leg.  
"You better not pass out on me again Naruto Uzamaki or we're both dead" Sasuke snaps when Haku disappears, "I can't keep protecting you like this."  
"Well then don't, I never asked for your help" Naruto replies coldly. He then collapses.

"You can't revive him" Haku smiles, "he's reached his limits." He then laughs a little, an icy laugh of menace. Sasuke throws one of the Senbon at Haku but it is deflected, as he sort of expected. "Impressive, your moves are good but you've reached your limit as well" Haku adds, continuing the icy laugh, "now you're finished!" Sasuke predicts exactly what Haku will do and grabs Naruto and jumps before the Senbon can do any more damage to them. When Sasuke lands again Naruto falls from his grips as there is a price to pay, Sasuke is almost at his limit. Yet he's got one more trick up his sleeve. He looks up at Haku and forces a grin. Sharingan. Haku, instead of attacking Sasuke, goes for Naruto, throwing Sasuke well off guard as he hoped to do. Of course Sasuke plays hero, it's the only option he has.

"You're useless care for those brats has clouded your judgement Kakashi" Zabuza smirks from under his own mask, "as well as the mist around you. Don't worry about the other two, they're in Haku's hands now. They'll be breathing their last breaths now." Zabuza cackles horribly and moves away fro us while Kakashi fights to take in air which seems to be getting more difficult by the second. I feel pathetic. I could have kept up the Jutsu if I'd just tried a little harder.  
"I can't lose Sasuke, or Naruto" Sakura says to herself.  
"We can't" I correct, still trying to keep myself on my feet even though I am practically drained.  
"I-I have faith in them" Kakashi mutters, he then raises his voice a little, "our Number One Hyperactive Knucklehead Ninja and the Heir to the greatest clan in the Leaf Village."  
"You mean?" Zabuza suddenly looks terrified as he stares at Kakashi. Kakashi grins,  
"Yes. His full name is Sasuke Uchiha. The unique powers of the Uchiha blood line run through his veins, the Kekkei Genkai is his birth right."  
"I...I had no idea more than one did survive the Uchiha/Akiyama Massacre" Zabuza falters several times while talking, "no wonder he advances so quickly...then again so does Haku. Even the most skilled Jonin fall before him, as you will fall before me!"  
"Protect the bridge builder" is all Kakashi says before making a run at Zabuza. A red leaf flows by and I catch it quickly. This must be bad. Scratch that, I know it's bad.

"Y-you always get in the w-way Naruto" Sasuke stutters, as Naruto can see is Haku on the floor and half of Sasuke's left leg.  
"You beat him Sasuke!" Naruto grins. He hasn't seen. Then he sees the horror. Senbon line Sasuke's back, creating patterns of blood while one that pierced his cheek causes him to bleed from his mouth.  
"You should see the look on your face" Sasuke mutters, stuttering due to the pain, "you look like a t-total loser."  
"Why...why did you do it? Why did you save me" Naruto asks, staring at Sasuke, trying to understand the unbelievable sacrifice Sasuke has made for him.  
"I don't kn-know why, I j-just did" Sasuke answers. He smiles. "You...you, I hated you."  
"Then why?" Naruto repeats, everything seems to be getting more confusing, "I didn't ask for this" Naruto suddenly bursts, "I didn't ask for you to save me."  
"I don't know why" Sasuke also repeats, "m-my body just m-moved." He then cries out in pain as he starts falling to the floor, only to be caught by Naruto.  
"Sasuke?" Naruto says softly, trying to work out if Sasuke's still concious. Still alive.  
"H-he's still out there" Sasuke stutters, seemingly unaware of Naruto, "m-my brother! I promised myself that I'd s-stay alive until I killed h-him." He then looks at Naruto, "Naruto, don't let y-your dream die." He then keels over a little. Naruto stares at Sasuke. He then hugs him to his chest, suddenly grateful for everything that Sasuke has done for him but most of all this.


	17. A Tool Named Shinobi

"Is this the first time you have seen a friend die in battle" rings Haku's merciless voice, "this is part of what it means to be a ninja." He then sinks back into the wall of ice.  
"Shut up" Naruto hisses, "I-I hated you too Sasuke but" he then addresses Haku, "you'll pay for this." Smoke rises before there's an explosion of energy, red light swirling round Naruto. He looks up, his canines have grown slightly and he has them on show and the marks on his cheeks are much more accented, his eyes are red to add to the similarities of the fox. The wounds on his back and chest start healing and push out the Senbon from under his skin. The chakra's glow seems to explode so Kakashi, Sakura, Tazuna, Zabuza and I can all see it.  
"What is that?" Zabuza yells, the fight between himself and Kakashi completely forgotten. Kakashi stares, he looks terrified.  
"This is the beast isn't it?" I ask, Kakashi nods in answer. Oh please don't go into a fit. This always happens when he seems a visual representation of the fox, what happened then was bad enough then it goes onto remind him of the Third War. Those days did no good to his mind.  
"What beast?" Zabuza shouts, I presume he's staring at us in confusion and disbelief. Surely he knows. Surely he knows about the fox. Unknown to us Naruto is now going straight for Haku, his advantage much further ahead than Haku's ever had been.

Haku tries striking twice but Naruto deflects them with a flick of his wrist, it's only when Haku is out of vision that he can try any kind of attack, the first being successful. A million more Senbon bury themselves in Naruto's back and he yells in pain before standing, all of the needles flying out his back, appearing to have caused no harm. Haku tries going from above with a Kunai but Naruto moves out of the way and Haku collides with the ground. He gets up again and pelts a Kunai at Naruto which he avoids with ease but Haku uses this and grabs his arm, kicking Naruto in the stomach before raining the needles on him. All of them hit where intended.

"Come on Zabuza, we're both busy people" Kakashi sighs, good, he sounds fine and by what I can see he's using a scroll which I don't think Zabuza can see, "lets finish this."  
"Alright then Kakashi, I'm keen to say what you've got" Zabuza laughs, he thinks the only outcome is that he will win. Good luck with that. Yet before anything can really happen the ice dome behind us smashes and Haku comes flying through the air. How did they...? Haku lands with a loud thump and while he's trying to steady himself the dome shatters completely. Naruto appears once again but instead of doing anything to deflect his attack he just stands there. His mask falls, his eyes look somewhat blank, somewhat empty, like he doesn't have a purpose any more. Naruto jumps up and goes to punch Haku.

But he can't bring himself to do it, not after he sees Haku's face.  
"So that was you?!" Naruto asks in alarm, arm still outstretched towards Haku's stomach, "you were the one in the woods." What? Naruto saw him too?  
"Why do you not strike" Haku asks softly, his eyes still empty, "didn't you just promise to avenge your comrade's death by killing me. Or was that vow just empty words?" Naruto glares at him and then looks at Sasuke before hitting Haku as hard as he can in the stomach, Haku falls and coughs, winded by the hit. "No, that won't do" Haku adds, "put in that much strength and you'll never for fill your vow. Perhaps he didn't mean that much to you after all." Haku stands and Naruto stares, "To show mercy to those who oppose the one you serve, to allow his enemies to live, when you could have struck them down. This is not compassion but a betrayal of your life's very purpose. For what reason do you exist then? You're of use to nobody. Your life has no meaning. You just exist, through pain and struggle, day after day after day."  
"Yeah, well speak for yourself" Naruto says, weakly.

"Are you really that blind little one?" Haku asks, his tone one of sarcastic sympathy, "I am speaking of myself. What has happened today has shown me that I'm no longer of any use to Zabuza, the one I serve."  
"Zabuza" Naruto growls, "why that guy? To devote your life to a rotten liar who doesn't know the meaning of honour you must be pretty rotten yourself. He's the most important person to you? That's the sorriest thing I ever heard!"  
"There were once others" Haku replied, looking at the ground, "long ago. My father and mother. Where I was born Ninja were frowned upon and hated. My mother possessed the same Kekkei Genkai as myself and hid it from my father. However upon finding out, he killed her and almost killed me. I'm sure if you had searched your two friend's memories you would have found the same thing. The cruelty of people, the fear they have of what they don't understand. I knew that I had lost everything, something more important than anything else."  
"Something more important than your mother and father?" Naruto asks in slight disbelief. I suppose seeing the other children with their parents when he was younger has made him think that parents and family, they are the most important to you. I'd say he's right.

"My purpose" Haku explains, "there was no one in the world who needed me.I was unnecessary, pointless. Your friends have purposes. The boy, he fought for revenge. The red haired girl, for the legacy of her clan's name. Both understandable. Both respectable. Tell me, why are you so determined to become leader of your village, to become Hokage?"  
"So everyone will respect me" Naruto answers. Haku then expands on that,  
"You want it so that everyone will acknowledge you and see you as a great ninja, you see through the eyes of others that our lives have little significant. There is no one who sees you, who knows that you exist. For me Zabuza came along and he looked at me, for once I saw eyes that were no full of hate or terror. My powers were just what he wanted. I was needed again. Now, I am a broken weapon with no further use." Haku then starts walking forward for an unknown reason until he reaches Naruto. "Kill me."


	18. Haku's Last Word

"Ninja art: Summoning Earth style, Fang pursuit jutsu" Kakashi yells, slamming his hands and the scroll onto the ground. It starts to shake and I almost lose my balance, I have still barely managed to keep myself on my feet anyway.  
"I don't know why you bother" Zabuza mocks, "you can't even see me, what use are your jutsus?" Oh how naive. He won't know what's hit him. Zabuza carries on talking but it's of no interest, he thinks he's so high and mighty. Good luck to him. The ground shudders and bursts, Kakashi's ninken throwing themselves into the air before clamping their jaws on Zabuza.  
"What was that?!" Tazuna asks in terrified alarm.  
"Kakashi's Ninken, he was part of our village's assassination unit and he's used them since then" I answer.  
"That was a summoning Jutsu, I wanted you to get past me so I let you do damage with our sword, my hounds can track a scent any where" Kakashi explains, why am I getting the feeling that he's grinning, "looks like I wasn't the only one who was blind," oh that's why.  
"Talk, talk, talk, do you want to talk me to death?" Zabuza hisses. Kakashi laughs quietly,  
"In a way, at the minute the hounds are just playing with you but on my order they will rip you to shreds. Ah, the mist is clearing, finally. Yet still all I can see is your death. Poor, poor Zabuza, you were always pushing things too far." I've got to hand it to Kakashi, sometimes he can be very sadistic.

"It's sad really" Kakashi hisses, "that someone who's name is so well known, even within the Leaf Village could stoop so low as to serve as a thug for someone like Gato. Anyway, enough talk as you insist, time to end this and without Sharingan. It's time I introduced you to my own jutsu." Oh no. He can't, it'll drain him completely. He's already used enough with the Sharingan and Summoning anyway and he's not properly healed. He's mad. Despite all this he still manages to produce the ball of electricity. I don't know how he doesn't hate it. I don't know how he can bring himself to still use it...after what he did.  
"Why should I care about others, I have my own dream, I don't need to bother with their dreams" Zabuza hisses.  
"Ah yes but in order to have a dream you need a future" Kakashi replies, "you don't."

"Go on, strike, kill me" Haku insists, "why do you hesitate?"  
"That's the most ridiculous story I've ever heard!" Naruto yells, suddenly snapping, "he treats you like a slave. You're a human being not a tool or weapon. How can you care for someone like that?"  
"For that very reason" Haku replies, catching Naruto off guard with his answer, "does...does that seem strange to you, Naruto?"  
"A little" Naruto admits.  
"As I said before, when Zabuza found me I had no purpose or reason for existing yet he gave me both" Haku repeats, "now my usefulness is gone. I am a broken tool, a blunted weapon. I have no use. Go on Naruto. Kill me, for both of our sakes. Quickly."

"Why do you hesitate" Haku demands, stepping forward, "I thought you wanted to be a might warrior."  
"Is that all you believe it's worth. Fighting and killing until there's only one left standing. Is that all anything is about?" Naruto yells in response, "there's more to being a Shinobi than just beating someone in battle."  
"We are a lot alike" Haku mutters, looking up at Naruto, that empty stare ever present, "I'm sorry that your hand must be tainted with my unworthy blood."  
"You're sure this is the only way" Naruto asks. He's like Haku was before. He doesn't want to kill him, proving that at our age we do live by the Akiyama's way.  
"Yes" Haku answers.  
"The weird thing is that, if we had met some other time and place I'm sure we could have been friends" Naruto sighs. He then pulls a Kunai out of his bag and runs at Haku, "this is for Sasuke! He also had a dream."

"The fog is lifting" Tazuna states, he seems happy about it and I can't blame him. Sakura's attention is on the two Jonin ninja,  
"They're standing still, which one's Kakashi-Sensei?" I turn just as she adds, "one's moving!" Haku grabs Naruto's hand and apologizes,  
"Sorry, change of plan Naruto." He then starts making his one handed signs, looking over at Zabuza and Kakashi, "I'm not ready to die quite yet." Meanwhile Kakashi is running at Zabuza, the Chidori at a fuller force than I have ever seen it before. He moves in a split second and is sending his arm towards Zabuza. It makes contact with a body but it's not Zabuza's. Blood splashes onto the two Jonin's faces and I see Kakashi's eyes go wider than normal. An explosion sounds and the wind almost knocks us off our feet. When we turn to look again we see what has really happened. He killed Haku.

The lightening fades and I can see him shaking. I think off all people the least Kakashi wanted to kill was Haku.  
"My future is all used up huh?" Zabuza growls, "wrong again Kakashi." He then laughs and it's clear he doesn't care Haku is dead. How...how can he not care? Haku sacrificed his life for Zabuza. How can he not care? How can he even dare to laugh when the boy's last word is his name. Then I remember one of the many rules of being a Shinobi. Never let your emotions get in the way and Zabuza has perfected that beyond any other Ninja's skill.


	19. Gato's Arrival

We can hear Naruto off in what seems like the distance, shouting for Haku, not knowing where he's gone. As the fog lifts he turns and looks. He seems the whole scene. Zabuza is stood behind Haku, not giving a care in the world, laughing at his saviour’s somewhat, in my eyes, meaningless death. Kakashi's hand still rests in Haku's chest, he's shaking but trying to pull himself together.  
"What's going on" Naruto asks in alarm. Tazuna's eyes thin a little as he squints through his glasses,  
"Is that...is that the young boy, in the mask?"  
"The boy threw himself in front of my attack" Kakashi hisses, "to save your pathetic life."  
"Well done Haku" Zabuza smiles before beginning to draw his sword. No...no...NO! I gather what strength I have left and make hand signs as quickly as I can,  
"Leaf Clone Jutsu!" Kakashi grabs Haku and jumps up before Zabuza can see him, he only sees the clone I made of Kakashi and it falls to pieces as soon as his sword makes contact with it.  
"Oh, so the Leaf brat still has some energy in her, how impressive" Zabuza sneers "and Kakashi, not bad considering you have a corpse in your arms."  
"You'll pay for that" Naruto yells.  
"No" Kakashi snaps, "leave this to me."  
He lays Haku down and puts pressure on the boy's eyelids.  
"I'll finish this" he utters with complete hatred, "Zabuza's mine." I can see it...he's remembering the War.

"Naruto! Naruto over here" Sakura yells, her somewhat shrill voice not so kind on my ears but it's just a draw back of using so much Chakra, I've become over sensitive to some things. I back away a little and lean against the side of the bridge, trying not to collapse.  
"Sakura!" Naruto yells back. Then he remembers Sasuke as Sakura asks,  
"So, you and Sasuke are alright?" Naruto looks back and she adds, "what's wrong?" Naruto grits his teeth and looks away. All I hear is Sakura mutter, "No." I'm really pushing my limit but I force myself to stand and walk over to Sakura, my legs trembling, ready to give way any second.  
"S-sakura go, I'll stay with Tazuna" I offer.  
"No, you're too worn out, Sakura if I go with you then you won't be disobeying your Sensei" Tazuna counters, I know he's right but still. I follow them at a much slower pace and walking is difficult to do, I feel like I'm forcing my brain to send the signals to my legs and then not realising they've got there. When I meet Naruto half way I put a hand on his shoulder, mostly for comfort but also so I don't collapse.  
"Sasuke...he fought so hard for me and I can do nothing in repayment." He pushes my hand off and I heed the warning that I should carry on. I hear Sakura's gasp of horror and I know the worst is only to be expected.

When I reach them Sakura drops to her knees beside Sasuke and puts a hand on his cheek. Oh...Sasuke, why?  
"He's cold" Sakura chokes as I kneel beside her, hand on her shoulder, "this isn't just Genjutsu...is it." She bites her lip and I can see tears threatening to spill from her green eyes.  
"It's alright Sakura, go ahead" Tazuna reassures her, "you don't need to be strong around me." Sakura strokes Sasuke's cheek gently and talked more to herself than me or Tazuna.  
"I was the best" she mumbled, "I got full marks on every test. The perfect student." Tazuna looks over at her, confused, "there are over one hundred principles of Shinobi life. I know everyone, I loved it when we were tested on it. On one exam they asked us to explain the 25th principle." We recite it together the two of us, while Sakura is choking on her tears,  
"A Shinobi never shows his feelings, no matter what the circumstances. Feelings are a weakness, they only cloud his judgement and sense of duty." Sakura gives in and throws herself onto Sasuke's chest, sobbing her heart out. I can't keep my own tears back.

However many times I pretended I hated Sasuke. However many times I told myself I hated him. It was always a lie. I blamed Itachi through Sasuke. I needed someone who I could use as a scapegoat for something that made them suffer more than myself. I never hated Sasuke. I place my hand on Sakura's shoulder again as she cries louder and louder. I can hear Naruto forcing himself not to as well. That rule...it's pathetic. Unreal. Unachievable unless you're a killing machine with no one to depend on.

The two Jonin clash again behind us and I find myself drawn to watching, more because I don't think I can stand looking at Sasuke for much longer. I don't think twelve year old Genin are cut out for this. Zabuza's panting, glaring at Kakashi, who's hair is drooping a little from sweat. Zabuza races towards him again but Kakashi just punches him in the jaw like it's nothing, managing to send him flying. He then kicks Zabuza in the jaw without seeming to really think about he's doing. He really doesn't care. Haku's death has sparked his side that follows that Shinobi principle without a second thought. Without hesitation.  
"I'll split you in half!" Zabuza roars, running towards Kakashi again and swinging his sword. Kakashi merely moves out of the way before disappearing just before Zabuza can bring it down where he was. He's making this look too effortless. He appears behind Zabuza and grabs the back his neck,  
"Look at you" he mocks, "you're falling apart. I knew you'd never had enough for a long haul."  
"What did you say?!" Zabuza demands, trying to act tough when really I can see he looks terrified.  
"You have no idea what real strength is" Kakashi hisses in answer.

"Well, well, so this is how it turns out" says someone completely new, I don't like the sound of his voice, let alone his short, squat appearence with a nasty looking suit. Everything about this man spells evil Tycoon. I turn my attention back to Kakashi as he says,  
"Game over Zabuza. This is how it ends." He motions to stab Zabuza in a vital area but only sees just in time Zabuza swinging his sword round in attack. Kakashi abandons his full attack and gets out of the way as quickly as possible but only after making sure the Kunai renders Zabuza's other uninjured arm useless, the sword flying out of Zabuza's hand and clashing with the floor and sending sparks everywhere. The Tycoon, Gato I'm assuming, is watching with amusement. "What do you do now Zabuza, you can't even make hand signs" Kakashi says, a cold breeze blowing as he says it.  
"Did quite a job on you didn't he Zabuza" Gato laughs, "you look like yesterday's scraps. I'm disappointed." Oh no, my attention isn't on Gato any more. It's the one hundred strong army of Ninja behind him that has my attention now.


	20. Last Words

"Why are you here?" Zabuza hisses at the little man with pure hatred, "who are your guests." Gato smiles meanly,  
"Well, there's been a change in plan, you see Zabuza nothing would work unless you died on this bridge." Zabuza may be the most evil man alive in my eyes but that makes my blood boil. Kill a enemy in cold blood, perhaps, kill a man in cold blood, absolutely not.  
"What?!" Zabuza hisses, his hatred remaining as he glares at Gato.  
"Well, you're expensive and I'm almost out of cash, anyway these guests of mine also cost some money so I suggest you take some of them out as well, it'd be so kind of you" Gato replies, "think you can handle that, Demon of the Hidden Mist? Look at you, you're about as threatening as a wet kitten." The ninja behind Gato cackle horribly and I can feel the effect of the sensitivity ringing through my ears.  
"Well then Kakashi, it seems our fight is over. As I am no longer in Gato's employment Tazuna is safe...from me that is" Zabuza states, his emotionless voice present once again. We have no quarrel."  
"I guess you're right" Kakashi mutters in response, glaring at Gato along with Zabuza. I wouldn't be surprised if Kakashi suddenly joined sides with Zabuza, I wouldn't put it past either of them not to do so.

"Oh, it's you" Gato says as he looks down at Haku's body, "little brat, you broke my arm. I should repay you." He then kicks Haku's limp frame and adds, "if only he were alive" while poking Haku's face with his stick.  
"GET AWAY" Naruto screams at him angrily. I look over at him, shocked by this sudden outburst. Naruto runs towards Gato and Kakashi grabs him, having to use a surprising amount of strength to stop him. "What about you Zabuza!" Naruto demands, "are you going to let him do that?!"  
"Be quiet, Haku's dead, it doesn't matter" Zabuza snaps.  
"So you can stand and watch his memory being treated like that? You and Haku were together for years, how can you?" Naruto continues.  
"You have no understanding of Shinobi, pathetic child, I merely used him as Gato used me" Zabuza replies, staring straight ahead at the little army, "the loss of his strength and skill is all that means something to me."  
"You're an even bigger crook than I thought" Naruto snaps, Kakashi puts a hand on his shoulder and tells him to drop it. Naruto ignores him and throws Kakashi off, "as far as I'm concerned this guy is number 1 on the enemy list!" Zabuza looks back at Naruto in the corner of his eye. "You're ungrateful! After everything that boy did for you! HAKU DIED FOR YOU! HE LIVED FOR YOU! YOU WERE THE MOST IMPORTANT PERSON IN THE WORLD TO HIM! HE MEANT NOTHING TO YOU? NOTHING? While he sacrificed everything for you, did you not feel a thing for him? Is it true that if I become stronger I'll become as cold hearted as you are?" I stare at him and I know...Naruto will never be cold hearted. Of all the things he could possibly be. Even if he became like Zabuza he would never, ever be cold hearted.

"Haku threw away his life for you" Naruto stutters, I can see the tears in his eyes, "for what? For nothing? You never let him live his own life but he didn't need to. He had you. Yet you just toss him aside. That's so wrong, so, so wrong."  
"You talk too much" Zabuza mutters and I see the tear drops on the floor. The words of a twelve year old child brought a trained killer to tears. Wow. Naruto stares at Zabuza in shock, Kakashi has his head bowed in respect. "Your words cut deeper than any sword. While he fought you, his heart was breaking in two. He was always too soft and too kind, he felt pain and sorrow. Now, curse him, I feel them too! I feel content that this is the end." Zabuza tares off his mask and looks back at Naruto, "cat got your tongue? Are you surprised to see I'm human? Every Shinobi is human, however hard we try to escape that fact we always end up back at the start. Well I have. Kid, give me your kunai." Naruto throws it to him and catches it between his teeth. He's ready to wreak havok.

"Take him down!" Gato says to the rogue ninja whom Zabuza is charging at head on.  
"He must be out his mind" says one of them before Zabuza kills him. Well there's some interesting famous last words for you. From then on he's breaking bones and killing none stop, like some kind of machine. Not even a pike in his back can stop him. Then I see his target. Gato. Only it seems like he's been beaten by the...I stand corrected, he tosses them aside, another lot of weapons embedded in his strong back.  
"He's the devil!" Gato practically screams, looking and most definitely sounding terrified. Zabuza carries on running and runs face first into Gato's large stomach, piercing the disgusting man's body. Only seconds later he is pummelled with man more weapons. There is no return. He's going to die.  
"I cannot join Haku, where he's gone I cannot go" Zabuza weezes, he then stumbles towards Gato who backs away continuously, "oh no, it's the other place we're going Gato. I've been told there are many demons down there, I will fit right in. You on the other hand Gato are in for a long and painful eternity!" Zabuza stabs the Kunai into Gato's stomach a second time, much harder this time. Gato's time is up.

Zabuza then slashes his throat several times, blood splashing onto his face. He doesn't care. He just wants rid of Gato. He then pushes Gato back into the water below the bridge. All he has to do is turn around and the rogues back away, terrified. Yet, by luck, they pave a way to where Haku lies. Zabuza spits the Kunai from his mouth and labours over, choking on every breath before collapsing. Kakashi stands, watching as Zabuza pushes himself back up,  
"So, this is good bye Haku. I never once thanked you, please forgive me." He then collapses once again, unable to get up this time. Naruto turns away but Kakashi warns,  
"Don't, when you live our way, this is how it ends."

"S-sakura?" Asks a faint voice beside me and I am torn from the fallen Demon to see my friend once again. Alive. "Sakura..it's hard to breath with you on top of me." Sakura moves away and smiles before hugging Sasuke tightly, "Sakura! That hurts!" Sasuke protests.  
"Don't move" I warn when Sasuke tries to sit up, he ignores me.  
"What happened to Naruto? And that guy in the mask, what about him?" He stutters.  
"The Naruto is fine" Sakura answers, she then looks over, "but the boy in the mask, he's dead."  
"What?! How?" Sasuke demands, looking shocked, "did Naruto kill him?"  
"No," I answer, "Kakashi-Sensei did, he was protecting Zabuza." Despite my advice Sasuke pushes himself to his feet,  
"Naruto! Naruto! Look, Sasuke's okay!" Sakura yells as I too make myself stand up. Sasuke looks away but I can see him smile and raises his hand in greeting.  
"Well, wonders never cease" Kakashi comments though I can tell under his mask he's smiling.

"Don't get too cocky" laughs the voice of one of the rogue ninja, "so we're just going to take on this village, see what they have." We all look at Kakashi,  
"All used up" he answers.  
"Well...we're screwed" I sigh. Sasuke, Naruto, Kakashi and myself are practically all out of chakra and there's no way Sakura could face these lot alone. Don't even get me started on Tazuna. The ninja charge towards us, looks like this is the end after all. What a way to die. Wait, there's a whistling sound over head and an arrow from a crossbow lands in front of us.  
"There's one thing you're forgetting!" Yells a proud villager's voice, "before you set one foot in our village you'll have to go through all of us!"  
"Inari!" Naruto grins and Inari responds with Naruto's phrase,  
"Heroes usually show up at the last minute" with the same kind of grin. Naruto turns to the rogues and multiplies himself. Kakashi does the same. Well that's the most terrifying thing I've ever seen, millions of Kakashis and Narutos. Excuse me while I go hide in a tree. All the ninja run for it. Shame on them. Brilliance on Inari and the village.


	21. Last Favour

Kakashi walks over to Zabuza. He's still alive...how?  
"K-Kakashi" Zabuza stutters, "I h-have one last thing to r-request." Kakashi looks down and waits, "please, take me to him." Kakashi kneels and lifts Zabuza without hesitation or any strain. I turn and look, surprised, I frown a little at Kakashi but he ignores me and keeps a straight face. It starts snowing as Kakashi walks and we all stare at the sky in joyful confusion. He lays Zabuza down beside Haku and Zabuza uses the last of his remaining strength to touch Haku's face, "You were always at my side Haku" Zabuza wheezes as Kakashi turns away, he can't look. I get up, the smallest bit of my energy back, and walk over to Kakashi before hugging him round the middle. He puts one hand on my hair and the other around me as we listen to Zabuza talk. "Now it is my duty to be beside you at the end" Zabuza continues. "I so dearly wish I could go...to where you have gone...Haku." That seems like that really is the end as he draws a last shaky breath. Through all the snow the sun shines through onto Haku's calm face.  
"H-He told m-me" Naruto stuttered through tears, "that where he was from it always s-snowed."  
"Of course" Kakashi replied, "his spirit was as pure as the snow." My grip tightens around him as I force myself not to cry and he moves his hand through my hair a couple of times as comfort, "you never know Zabuza, you might join him, who's to say you won't."

"Is that really it Kakashi-Sensei?" Sakura asks as we stand by Haku and Zabuza's graves, "is that really the Shinobi way? Just to be used by others like tools?"  
"Shinobi are all tools in the hand of destiny" Kakashi replies, "no matter whether it's right or wrong that's the way it is. It is the same in the Village Hidden In The Leaves and every other Shinobi village."  
"Well if that's what being a Ninja means then something's out of place" Naruto voices, something we've all been thinking.  
"Is that why we do all this, have all these rules hammered into our brains?" I add, "just to end up like them?"  
"What's the reason for it?" Sasuke finishes for me.  
"Well" Kakashi sighs, looking at his feet, "it's an unanswerable question we must deal with every single day. Zabuza and Haku are a prime example."  
"Alright then" Naruto says all of a sudden, all of us look at, "I'll find my own Ninja way, one that's strong and true, not just to be used as a tool! I'm following the way of Naruto!" Kakashi goes to say something but lets it go and laughs.

"We cannot express how grateful we are for your help to the Land Of Waves" Tazuna says to us as we stand on the threshold of the village, "we could not have completed it without you."  
"Be careful on the way home" Tsunami adds, smiling at us gratefully.  
"Don't get all choked up" Naruto laughs, "we'll come back and visit real soon, alright." I glance at Inari and see he really is choking up, poor kid. An idea comes to me and I open the small bag with my leaves in, pulling out one of the red ones and running over to him.  
"Listen, take this" I say, placing it in his hand, "if you ever need us just tare it in half and I'll know, okay?" He nods and I hug him gently before going back to the others.  
"You promise you will?" He asks Naruto, his voice cracking a little.  
"Of course we will" oh great now Naruto's choking up too, "you know Inari, it's alright to cry."  
"Who says I wanna cry" Inari protests, forcing his tears back, "anyway if it's okay why don't you go ahead and do it."  
"No" Naruto replies, biting his lip, "you first." There's a second of silence before Naruto turns around, tears tumbling down his cheeks. Wow. With that we turn and begin our journey home. Ahh...home, I've missed it so.

"Oh man, when we get home I'm going to eat so much Ramen" Naruto laughed.  
"Hey" Sakura says.  
"What?" Naruto replies, turning to look at her. Sakura glares,  
"I wasn't talking to you Naruto. Sasuke, when we get back do you want to go out and do something together?"  
"I'd rather not, thanks anyway" Sasuke answers, being as polite as he can without running a mile in the other direction. Kakashi turns around,  
"What about you Akahana, seen as you haven't said anything what are you going to do when we get back to the village?"  
"Sleep!" We all burst out laughing, even Sasuke, as I'm pretty sure we all agree.


	22. Roses of Ribbon

((BTW Hogosha means guardian and Genma is important, I mean come on, this guy is awesome (quietly in tears missing Hayate) also the rest of this story is not canon and all original excluding characters that aren't OC))

Upon our return I was the happiest I'd ever been. To be back in my own safe, warm bed. To be in the walls of my village. We were greeted by Yuugao and Hayate and, while the others went back to their respective homes, we followed the couple to their own. When we got there Kakashi immediately asked to wash his hands, which as soon as he was given a yes he went to do. Yuugao frowned a little,  
"What happened?"  
"He killed someone with Chidori, normally he's okay but this one jumped in the way of his target. It made him think of Rin" I explain. Hayate sighs and puts a hand on my head,  
"I hope you never know the horrors your hogosha has seen or replicate the horrors he has done. It cost him his sanity."  
"Hayate you mustn't say things like that" Yuugao sighs sadly. She then goes to her cupboard of ribbons and gets out some purple. She cuts about the right amount and sits at the table with me, making the ribbon roses we always do when we are at each other's homes.

Just as we finish our roses a Senbon comes flying through the small peep hole in the door.  
"Tell me Genma Shiranui" Hayate grins, "have you heard of knocking?"  
"Have you met me Hayate Gekkou" Genma replies. Yuugao gets up and opens the door, Genma smiles at her before running over to me and picking me up, swinging me round before throwing me onto his back and going round in circles. I am so glad I'm tiny and weigh practically nothing in comparison.  
"So Kakashi, I see you're back" he laughed, "quite impressive, taking out Zabuza and his minion." Kakashi looked at Hayate,  
"Go" he said quickly. Genma frowned like Yuugao had before.  
"Haku, Zabuza's minion as you called him, died the same way Rin did" I answer. Genma sighs and sits down beside where he set me down,  
"He's an unlucky man, that Kakashi Hatake."

Genma walked home with Kakashi and I that night. Well I say walked, I didn't as Genma carried me home on his back as I was practically sleep walking I was so tired. I had my head nestled into the side of his neck, somehow managing to hold on in my sleep.  
"So, how was it?" Genma asked as we went through the streets, "how did Akahana fare?"  
"It was difficult, that's for sure. Really it was an A ranked mission rather than a C." Kakashi answers, he then adds, "as for Akahana, she did surprisingly well, Koto Akiyama's chakra is really starting to show in her. It's an interesting thing to occur so early, amazing in fact. She learnt the earth rupture jutsu, concealment jutsu and leaf illusion jutsu in a matter of days. She used two as well. I'm sure that if I had left Zabuza to her, the only thing stopping me was how much Chakra she had already used practising, then she could have taken him out herself."  
"That's impressive" Genma replies, hitching me up a bit, causing me to grumble and move my head about before settling back down, "for someone so young."  
"It's her desperation to prove her clan is worth something" Kakashi explains, "that's what fuels practically everything she does. I don't know how she'll react to who the other half of her parentage is."  
"You haven't told her I see" Genma muttered, sounding like he was criticising Kakashi.  
"She'd lose all hope if I did. I'm sure she doesn't even know who the man is" Kakashi explains, "She's like Umeki-Sensei was, the strongest soul you'd ever meet who took things far too seriously."  
"I suppose that would be no good for a twelve year old. You've seen that Uchiha kid. He knows it all and it's done him no good" Genma agrees.  
"He's difficult to train as well" Kakashi nods just as we meet the door of mine and Kakashi's home.  
"I'll get little one in bed, she's sound asleep and you need to sort yourself out a bit" Genma insists. Kakashi nods and opens the door, going into the kitchen while Genma takes me to my room.

"Huh?" I mumble as I hit my bed.  
"Shh" Genma replies, "you're home." He pulls my covers over me and smiles,  
"Shiranui-Sama?"  
"Yes Akahana-Chan" he replies, going to the door.  
"Is Hogosha okay?" I ask.  
"He's fine don't worry" Genma answers, "good night."  
"Good night Shiranui-Sama" I reply. I think that was the last time I saw Genma Shiranui remotely happy for a while. We could all feel it, we all knew it was coming. We just pretended we had no idea and continued with our daily business.


	23. The Hokage's Summoning

"Akahana" said a voice in my ear, the owner shaking my shoulder.  
"Hogosha?" I mumble, my eyes opening slightly and just managing to see the time, "what? It's 7am leave me alone."  
"Lord Hokage has requested your presence" Kakashi adds, leaving my shoulder alone.  
"OUT! OUT! OUT!" I yell, pushing him out of the room so I can get changed. I slam the door and hear him yell from outside,  
"Be in gear!" Only a few minutes later I come tumbling out of my room and into the conjoined kitchen and dining room. Kakashi throws an apple at me before I go the door. Then I realize.  
"Aren't you coming with me?" I ask, turning my head a little so he's just visible.  
"I said your not our" he answers, however he gets up and joins me at the door, "I'll walk you there."

//Night Before// (3rd Person)  
Kakashi sighed as he sat at the kitchen table, he was exhausted but it didn't seem like going to bed was an option. He didn't really like the idea of being plagued by nightmares and there was the possibility that Akahana's memories had been brought back. However old she got when they came back she demanded his presence. Simply because it calmed her. He knew what those kind of terrors were like, why should anyone else have to suffer them? Especially someone so y- there was a knock on the door. Kakashi got up, wandering over wearily, and opened it.  
"L-lord Hokage?" He stuttered, trying not to yawn.  
"I've had no report on your mission yet" was the first thing the Hokage said as he walked in.  
"It was a rough mission. That was no C-rank, I'd call it an A-rank mission, all of them were exhausted. It was hardly fair" Kakashi replied. It wasn't a very good reason but he couldn't get his brain to function well enough to think of a better one.  
"And you are not Kakashi?" Lord Hokage asks, "anyway. I came under rumour that Sasuke Uchiha and Akahana Akiyama have both begun to use the more powerful parts of their Kekkei Genkais, is this correct?"  
"It is, Lord Hokage, Sasuke appears to have begun to awaken his Sharingan and Akahana has learnt the first three of the twenty four jutsus that only her clan can preform" Kakashi answers.  
"Impressive. Now, I know the works of the Sharingan in battle but the Leaf control I have yet understand, except of course the protection jutsu. I wish to send her on a mission, it will be B-ranked and also Team Gai's first B-rank mission." The Hokage explains, "I want to see if Koto Akiyama's power really is in this child."

//Back to Today// (1st person)  
"So what does Lord Hokage want anyway?" I ask as we walk through the streets on Konoha.  
"I don't actually know" Kakashi lies, getting past me easily.  
"What about the others, are they going too?" I yawn.  
"Not as far as I know" Kakashi replies, taking a red leaf from a bush we're passing. It's on the edge of the Akiyama's compound, well...what's left of it.  
"Hmm" I mumble, looking round as I take the leaf and fill it with my chakra. I remember having to concentrate on the flow of green but that's a thing of the past now. At the steps of the Hokage's building Kakashi leaves me there,  
"Be careful okay?" He smiles.  
"I will Hogosha" I reply, also smiling. He pulls down his mask for a second, kisses me on the forehead before pulling it back up and walking away.

"What are you doing here?" Kotetsu asks when he and Izumo see me.  
"The Hokage has asked for me apparently" I answer, "I don't know why." Kotetsu and Izumo give each other a glance before turning back to me and smiling,  
"Well, good luck if it's a mission. We'll be on our way" Izumo smiles before they walk down the corridor past me. I open the door to the Hokage's office. They must have known something I didn't. Oh well, about to find out.  
"I see you don't take after your Hogosha" says a voice, I find myself looking at the Third Hokage, "I'm glad you came. I have something for you. Follow me." I follow without hesitation and he shows me three chests. "These a the three chests, each one belonging to one of the three founding clans. I'm sure you can tell which one is your own. Go on, open it." I kneel and open the chest, inside are seven scrolls all neatly put together in a segment each. There is one scroll missing.  
"The one Kakashi gave me" I mutter, resting my hand on it as it rests in a small 4 pouch bag attached to the shorts I'm wearing under my skirt which is split at the sides.  
"Indeed" Lord Hokage confirms, "now, I suggest you take the second one, go on."


	24. Team Gai, Umeki and the Mission

Read it but use the skills when you know you are strong enough and have time to recover or in battle with no other option" Lord Hokage warns me, "using these skills is more difficult than it appears, never -"  
"Lord Hokage? You asked for our presence!" Came the voice of Might Gai. Kill me now. The Hokage abandoned the words and turned to him,  
"I did. I think it's time I sent you are your first B-rank mission, as some preparation."  
"We will rise to all challenges you give us Lord Hokage!" Lee cheers. Neji sighs,  
"What is the mission?"  
"You will be guarding an important figure, a relative of the Fifth Mizukage, though it is just a simple escort mission there will be at least Chunin level ninja after her life" Lord Hokage explains, he then turns to Gai, "I have one more thing to add, you will be taking an extra with you. Akahana here will be going with you, she may be able to help with concealment jutsus while you and your team fight the enemy."  
"Is that such a good idea, Lord Hokage? To bring a Novice on such a high rank mission, surely she should still be doing D-rank missions" Neji counters.  
"Neji, it's Lord Hokage's decision not yours" Tenten replies, frowning at him a little, her brow merely creasing a little.  
"Correct, Tenten, I do think it is a good idea" Lord Hokage smiles, "send in our guest!"

Through the doors comes a girl of no more than seventeen with brown hair and brown eyes.  
"This is Lady Umeki Terumi" the Hokage announces. I try not to let it show but I feel like I've just been stabbed in the heart. Umeki. My Mother's name. "You will be guarding her on her way back to Kirigakure, you must be prepared to give up your life to save her's." Without reason, I hate this girl. I suppose it's just me being irrational and afraid of my own past.  
"We promise we shall protect you with our very lives" Gai agrees, doing his "good guy pose" that Lee replicates only seconds later.  
"You don't see impressed, Akahana" Neji mutters to me, his blank expression only enhanced by his pupiless eyes.  
"How can I be? She has my Mother's name" I sigh in answer.

"I suggest you set off very soon, it'd be no good waiting" Lord Hokage says to get our attention once again.  
"Yes, I'd like to get home before Winter" Umeki adds, I don't care about her posh voice she's going to annoy me, I'm sorry I'm supposed to put my life on the line for someone like that?! Now I see why Naruto didn't like Tazuna initially.  
"Well, lets get going then" Gai nods, not seeming to be offended in anyway by what Umeki says. Neji glances at me with a slight smile,  
"I knew it was a bad idea to bring a novice no such a mission."  
"I'll prove you wrong Neji Hyuuga, that's a promise" I hiss. He won't get the better of me, I will not go back on my word.

Umeki turned out as I expected, rude and full of herself, opting not to use the honorific titles, that were the bare minimum of manners, but insisting we call her Lady. She was no Lady, I cared nothing for this girl. Why should I waste my chakra and possibly life on someone who just in the end, would not care. I found myself quickly wishing I was at home in the village with Kakashi, Sakura, Naruto, Sasuke and everyone else and no knowledge of her. I wonder if Lord Hokage thought that if she shared my mother's name then I would be more likely to protect her. No such story.  
"Gai-Sensei?" Lee asks, "how long will it take to get to Kiri?"  
"I'd say a week, there and back, five days at the very least" Gai answers, even his and Lee's over the top enthusiasm seems to have vanished. There's something. There's something there. In the leaves.


	25. Nasty Little Brat

"We're being watched" I say.  
"Neji check, Lee, Tenten, Akahana into formation" Gai instructs with no hesitation.  
"Alright Lady Umeki hate to break it to you but you're going to have to listen to us now if you don't want to die" I say, tearing open my bag and pulling the leaves into a whirlwind.  
"Akahana! You shouldn't be so rude" Lee says in complete surprise, well I suppose he has never seen the battle side of me before...if it can be called such a thing.  
"Do I look like I give a damn, if we're not careful we're all dead" I snap, he goes silent.  
"I can see them" Neji confirms before giving us the co-ordinates they're at. Okay, here goes. We're all watching, waiting.

All of them, four in total, attack at the same time. The one that comes my way is no more than a Genin like myself. I catch a glimpse of the head band but it's not one that I recognize. I throw him straight off course with the whirlwind, catching his legs and sending him flying. I pull out three Kunai and go to throw them towards him but a fifth ninja appears and grabs my wrist, twisting and forcing me onto the grass, foot on my back.  
"Don't you dare touch my little brother you nasty little bitch" she hisses. While I struggle to breath as she puts more and more pressure on my lungs I try to build up enough chakra to summon my red leaves. "You won't win" she hisses, pushing her foot onto my spine. I scream, eyes clenched shut as I fight to keep a hold of the leaves that are slowly gravitating towards me.  
"Leaf Rupture Jutsu!" I say as best I can as I slam my hand onto the ground. It shakes enough for her to loosen her grip and wobble slightly but it's not really enough. I think this might be the time for weapons not power.

One of the kunai I attempted to throw is not too far away and I reach out for it.  
"Stupid brat" she smirks, using her other foot to stand on my wrist. I scream as I feel it begin to crush and just as I grab what I was really after, the kunai in my weapons bag I feel it snap in two. I clench my eyes shut, trying to block out the pain as I bring up the kunai and catch her leg. It cuts through her bandages and does barely any damage. She laughs and puts more pressure on my spine, abandoning the broken wrist, I'm sure any more and she'll break it. I try a second time with the Kunai but fail once again, completely missing this time. Am I dead?

I hear a yell behind me and a crack. The girl falls to the floor, all the pressure gone from my back, with blood pouring from the back of her head. I look back at her attacker,  
"Lady Umeki?" I ask, staring at her.  
"Aren't you supposed to be protecting me" she asks, grinning with her wooden stick in hand.  
"Oh yeah" I smile back, pushing myself to my feet again and standing up straight. Ow, my back. Oh well. "Leaf clone jutsu! Lady Umeki, I'd like it if you got between me and my clones."

It's all smooth from there, yet I stay true to my clan's word. Kill with reason only.  
"We'll leave them here for the village to collect" Gai says after we've tied them to the trees, "we should carry on." As we walk Umeki starts quizzing me.  
"How come you protected me after I was so rude to you?" She asks, her tune completely changed now she knows what it's like to have her life on the line.  
"It's our job, Shinobi's function is to protect those we're told to but also because no one deserves an untimely death" I answer. Odd, she's older than me but my ideal is so much...older. I suppose when you've gotten close to death, threatened by a master criminal who you contributed to the death of you do tend to mature a little quicker than most people.  
"That makes you sound like tools to be discarded when useless, but you're not, you're human beings" she replies, looking quite troubled.  
"On a battle field a Shinobi appears emotionless, void of all happiness" I explain, "but at home, in comfort of normality we are just like you."  
"That's terrifying, it's like none of you would care if one of you died" she comments, looking horrified.  
"Oh we do, it tares our people apart but there is a rule every Shinobi must live by" and I remember myself reciting it with Sakura while we were distraught by Sasuke's damaged body. I can hear her choking voice talking with me, "A Shinobi never shows there feelings, no matter what the circumstances. Feelings are a weakness, they only cloud there judgement and sense of duty."


	26. A New Village, A New Threat

The rest of the day passed seamlessly, it was calm and I could hear the birds tweeting their cheerful chorus of constant hope.  
"Beautiful isn't it" I smile, looking up at the clear blue sky, cradling my broken wrist.  
"It's hardly like this in Kiri, it's always foggy or at least a dull grey as the name suggests" Lady Umeki sighs, "warm air that isn't damp is the nicest thing in the world."  
"Hmm, it's always warm in the leaf village" I sigh, thinking of home. I still wish I was there. I wish Lord Hokage had something else to tell me. To take the next scroll so early. I can't be that advanced can I? I wonder what I'd be doing now if I was at home. Maybe laughing with Yuugao while making ribbon roses. Or watching Hayate practising. Perhaps training with Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke. I might be bugging Genma to try and get him to teach me how to spit Senbon. I wonder.

"Gai-Sensei? Who exactly were those ninja?" Lee asks later on in the day, the sun has begun to set and we have set up a small camp.  
"That's the problem Lee" Gai answers, rubbing his chin, "I don't know. I've never seen a musical note used as a symbol for a village."  
"They'll be a new village, no doubt with their own established Kage" Umeki voices, all of us turning to look at her, her arms wrapped around her knees, "in my village there has been recent unrest among some of our officials and the common people are uneasy. To kill the Mizukage and her relatives would be the perfect formula for destruction and what better to gain a status than to destroy the original."  
"So they want to destroy your village in order to become one of the great nations? But who would want a war at this time, when there is already enough unrest" I ask.  
"Like I said, they'll probably have their own established Kage. They will want power" Umeki sighs, "war is but a small price to pay."  
"Byakugan!" Neji says all of a sudden as he activates it, all of us turning to look in shock. I analyse the leaves around us. That's right. They're definitely here.  
"I count five, high chakra levels, all Jonin?" I confirm with Neji. He nods.

All appear at once just like the previous attack but with only a few seconds warning this time we are not prepared. Five Jonin against one Jonin, four genin, one a rookie with a broken wrist, and a princess with what seems like no Chakra or defence other than a wooden stick. Oh boy. Looks like these are looking to kill us all, not just Umeki this time as well.  
"Alright, all of you, into formation again and be prepared to die" Gai says. All of us go in to what I like to call "Shinobi mode" which is exactly what I was describing to Umeki before. No emotion, no expression, no regret. Not noticing any pain either, I have to forget what happened to my wrist before.  
"Leaf Clone Jutsu!" I say and provide an extra wall of protection around Umeki. I've got to get her out of here...but how? No more time to think, I pull my whirlwind up and send it in all the directions I can, only catching one of them enough to make them stumble for a millisecond. These guys are fast, my point proved by Lee removing his leg weights. This is going to be difficult. What if...before I can finish my train of thought there's a scream. Tenten. I can see her backing off, her weapons scroll behind the advancing attacker. With my clones guarding Umeki I run to her and slam my red leaves into the ground,  
"EARTH RUPTURE JUTSU!" While Gai, Neji and Lee predicted what I was doing, accompanied by Neji quickly grabbing Umeki before all three shot into a nearby tree, I finally catch the attackers off guard.

"You'll pay for that" hisses one of them, drawing an oddly shaped Kunai and throwing it towards me. It goes way out of target and I laugh.  
"You're a Jonin and you can't even throw a kunai straight" and then I realize my flaw. I throw myself to the ground before it can hit me and it sores over my head.  
"What was that you were saying you stupid-HGH" She's cut off mid-sentence by the kunai delving into her chest.  
"Killed by your own weapon, how pitiful" Neji sighs, shaking his head as he lands beside me.  
"Shut your mouth you good for nothing freak" snaps another, this one covered head to toe in wrappings, his appearance some what similar to Kakashi's. Neji rolls his eyes,  
"Come on then, if I'm a good for nothing freak then you can beat me can't you" he says before activating his Byakugan. Oh I know what he's going to do. The Jonin makes no hesitation and runs straight for him but Neji slams his hand onto the Jonin's chest. It's a ruthless method but never the less it will always work. The strike to the heart and lungs forces blood out of the Jonin's mouth and he falls to the floor, dying slowly and painfully.

Now there are only three of the Jonin left and three of us left to fight. Tenten next. A third comes towards us but Tenten blocks it with an offensive of Shuriken from her scroll. They dodge all but one which merely brushes the top of their shoulder. She turns to the use of Kusarigama which the Jonin counters with simple hand blockages, it seeming to have no effect on him what so ever. Their fight becomes closer and closer until their faces are just a few inches apart and their in a deadlock.  
"You won't win, stupid little girl, thinking she dare call herself a ninja" laughs the 3rd Jonin. His eyes go wide and I look down at Tenten's other hand, a kunai is nestled comfortably in his stomach.  
"You won't be underestimating me for much longer" she smiles, "in fact you won't be underestimating anyone." She pulls out and a cascade of blood falls from his stomach before he collapses.

Two left. I admit it I've been plain lucky so far. Then I feel an unwanted presence in the trees. One of them is a clone and no doubt the real one is going after Umeki.  
"Alright then, we can face these two all together" Gai says as he and Lee land beside us, leaving Lady Umeki in a tree.  
"You idiots!" I snap, "she's unguarded. You can do this without me clearly." I leave them there and shot up the tree that Umeki is in. I can sense the disturbance, they're close by, very close by. I see the only option is to use the jutsu. "Alright they're close by, listen to everything I say" I mutter, she nods, looking terrified, "Leaf Illusion Jutsu" I can feel myself draining slowly as I move us away from the target and try to keep up the jutsu. Right now they should still be seeing us there.

I find that a while on I have to let it go but I'm sure we're at a safe distance now.  
"We should be safe" I smile, panting a little but never the less smiling. No such luck. There's an odd swish in the air and I throw myself in front of Umeki and the kunai delves into my chest. It's not gone quite deep enough to kill me straight away but if it stays in it won't take long and if it gets taken out it'll take almost no time.  
"Akahana" Umeki whispers, staring at the attacker then me.  
"Go, go back to Neji and the others" I reply, my voice hoarse, "I'll take care of this guy, go." She looks at me for a second before running in the direction of the others. The ninja goes after her but I pull out my own kunai and some how, even with laboured movements, manage to just catch his side.  
"You're a persistent little brat aren't you" he hisses.  
"What can I say? I still have heart" I smirk. He glares at me,  
"Looks like I'll just have to kill you then as well. Shouldn't be too much of a problem, just look at yourself."


	27. Death

He goes straight for me, no weapon in hand but his aim to push his kunai deeper into my chest. He succeeds, with a price to pay. I fall forward and push my own kunai into his stomach and twist it either way to make sure it does some proper damage.  
"Never go into a fight where you don't know every possible outcome" I smile before I feel the last of my energy drain out of me and he pushes me back, I take the kunai with me. Idiot. He goes sideways and I can just see his blank and empty staring eyes. What a strange way to die, a hands of someone I'll never know the name of. That's what it's like in stories isn't it? They always know the name of their killer don't they? I hope they put my name next to my mother's, that's where it belongs.

I take in what's around me, it's a nice place to die. With the birds resuming their cheerful song with memories of friends. I can hear my mother's lullaby in my head and I can see my friends and loved ones. Naruto. Sasuke. Sakura. Shino. Hinata. Neji. Lee. Tenten. Ino. Shikamaru. Choji. Kakashi. Hayate. Yuugao. Genma. Kurenai. My mind starts to go blank and I think I can see her again. I think I can see mother. With her smiling face, framed her red hair as bright as mine and her lovely brown eyes. She's laughing. There's Grandfather! He's laughing and waving like he always did. I remember showing him my little leaf whirlwind when I was five, I became the spot light of the clan. Now mother's lullaby is all I hear.

((Japanese translation of this song: www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlmhMS_l... I know the translation isn't brilliant ( and it's in romaji) but please before you read the next chapter just listen to this. It is very important for all the story. This is Akahana's mother's Lullaby and Akahana uses this a lot in the story. Remember it. I will try and put it into Kanji...at some point))  
chiisana kodomoha osoreru koto ha nai desu  
garasu nitaishite kibishii amepondo  
fuyou na mishiranu hitono you na  
kiken ha nai desukonya koko ni

chiisana kodomoha osoreru koto ha nai desu  
kamininariga bakuhatsushi masu  
furasshu wo karuku  
kao wo namidawo terasukonya koko ni

ikutsu ka no hi wo shitte iru yoshizen ga sou natte i masu  
watashino chikakuni byouga re masu kono onaji ame  
kawaoyobi tochi no ue ni ochiru  
shinrin to suna  
anata wo miru utsukushii sekai ni  
nari masu  
gozen chuuni

chiisana kodomoha osoreru koto ha nai desu  
arashikumomasuku anata ni saiai no mangetsu  
rousoku no hikaribiimu  
mafa kimochiga yoi yumewo iji shi masu  
konya koko ni

chiisana kodomoha osoreru koto ha nai desu  
kazega watashitachi no ki no ikimono  
te ni bunki  
honmonode ha nai wo rikai shi masukonya koko ni

ikutsu ka no hi wo shitte iru yoshizen ga sou natte i masu  
watashino chikakuni byouga re masu kono onaji ame  
kawaoyobi tochi no ue ni ochiru  
shinrin to suna  
anata wo miru utsukushii sekai ni nari masu  
gozen chuuni

watashiha ichi do mo anata ga shitte i misu  
chiisana kodomodatta  
osore te i ta to  
shikashi odayaka na dareka ga  
tsuneni ki ta  
subete no watashino namidaeo  
kansoru ni ha  
boueki amai suimin no kyoufu  
kisu guddo naito wo ataeru

maa ima watashiha seichoushi mashi ta  
korera no toshiwo shimeshite iru to  
ameno seimei ga iku houhou no ichibu  
sore ha kurai desu sore ha oso  
anata wo hoji shi masu node matsu  
anata no obie ta me ha tojiru made

ikutsu ka no hi wo shitte iru yo  
shizen ga sou natte i masu  
watashino chikakuni byouga re masu kono onaji ame  
kawaoyobi tochi no ue ni ochiru  
shinrin to sunaanata wo miru utsukushii sekai ni nari masu  
gozen chuuni  
subete no asano bakkin desuameno asaha kie te shimai masu  
Shikashi watashia mada gozen chuuni ni iru yo


	28. Who

Just I know I'm drawing the last breath someone tares the kunai out of my chest, the pain reawakening me. They smash their hands down onto my chest in hurried urgency. There's an odd kind of feeling on my chest and the wound is burning slightly.  
"You're not dying on me any time soon" they mutter. The voice, it's difficult to tell the gender of the owner but it sounds some what evil...then again how can that be so when they appear to be saving my life. They lift me a little and I can feel the back of my head resting on a some what skinny thigh. With one hand still on my chest the other strokes my hair gently. Who is this person? Who would be so anxious to stop me dying? Who would still want me alive if they didn't know me? What if it's...him?  
"Akahana!" Shouts Neji's voice, I can hear his footsteps as well. The person gasps and I hit the floor again. They're gone by the time Neji finds me. "Are you alright?" He asks. I open one eye and smirk,  
"I've just been stabbed in the chest, do I even look alright?" He rolls his eyes, a slight smile on his face, before lifting me up and carrying me back to the others.

"She'll have to go back to the village" Gai sighs, "her genjutsu has drained her completely and it's not something easy to recover from, and that's on top of being stabbed in the chest and only just surviving." Thanks to a stranger.  
"I will take her back Gai-Sensei, I can get her the quickest" Lee volunteers.  
"Yes Lee, you are the quickest" Gai nods, "alright, we'll carry on, catch up to us as soon as you can." Really? Lee? Oh well, I suppose I can't complain much.  
"Akahana" Lady Umeki says, "you have my word that you will receive some kind of honour from my village, whether it be respect or something more. For your Genjutsu to reach so far that it also protected your team mates and to take such a hit for me it is truly amazing what you have done." I smile and go to say something but Lee whisks me away before I can say a thing.

Upon assessing the state of my injury they decide it's best just to let it heal on it's own.  
"So how's Team 7 been without me then" I laugh.  
"Weird" Naruto grins.  
"Kinda lonely" Sakura sighs, though there's a small smile on her face.  
"Interesting" Sasuke smiles. An apple comes flying my way and I catch it,  
"Well, hello to you too Hogosha" I smile as Kakashi comes into view.  
"I expect you training again as soon as you're on your feet again" is all he says.

Once on my feet again I was called to Lord Hokage's office along with Team Gai.  
"You have all proved yourselves as real Shinobi who are really prepared to give your lives" he smiles, "I would make you all Chuunin now however, the Chuunin exams are almost upon us so that may just have to wait. With that aside your service to the Mist village will be greatly remembered and has established a strong alliance between the two of us."  
"Well, who knew almost dying could have such a massive affect" I laugh. Lord Hokage smiles,  
"That is true, anyway, I'm sure you all have training to be doing so I'll let you go" we all turn to leave, "oh, Akahana, stay a moment." I frown and turn around. He waits until the others are gone before asking, "when you came back to the village the medics who assessed your situation noticed that you had received a much more serious injury than you arrived with. What happened?"  
"I don't really know" I sigh, "I remember someone healing me but I don't know who. They just said that I wasn't dying on them any time soon."  
"Alright, you may go" he nods.


End file.
